Vile Children
by Blightblood
Summary: Sometimes, people are born into this world evil. Other times, they are turned evil by those who were born that way. He doesn't know if he was born that way, or he was turned by her, the same goes for his brothers. But one thing is certain to them: they are not welcomed all of the four kingdoms, she made sure they know of that. (Darker CRDL)
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer: I do not own anything from RWBY_**

 ** _This is work I've done on archiveofourown._**

* * *

 ** _Chapter one:_** ** _Hear the Trumpets, Hear the Pipers..._**

 _"W-what's in the bag?"_

 _"A Boarbatusk."_

 _"A... a Boba?-"_

 _"It's another Grimm, I just caught it outside the house, talk about convenient."_

 _"Co... cov-en-ant?-"_

 _"-Shut up you dumb little shit. Now, take... GAH-_ _ **THIS!**_ _There... there we go. Now, eat this."_

 _"... I... I don't want to again.-"_

 _"-Damn it Cardin, you need to eat it. It's going to help you grow powerful, like me."_

 _"... But, but the librarian says it bad to eat Grimm mea-"_

 _"-That bitch doesn't know shit about us. Not about our gift, and we can't tell her either Cardin... you didn't tell her,_ _ **did you**_ _?"_

 _"N-no! I didn't mommy. I didn't tell Mrs. Thrush about... our gift."_

 _"Good... good, my Little Cardin. Now, eat your share of the heart."_

 _"B-But... it hurts mommy. I-i-i-it burns when I eat it."_

 _"I know it fucking hurts, but the more you eat, the more you get used to it. It helps us grow stronger."_

 _"Mmmmhm- I don't wunna-"_

 _ **"- You little bitch!**_ _Do you always want to be bullied for the rest of your life? By humans and faunus? Huh!?"_

 _"... N-n-nooo... no mommy."_

 _"And what about your little shit-stain friends, huh? Do you want to see Sky eat dirt again? Or Dove swallow glass?"_

 _"No..."_

 _"Yeah, no you don't. And you know what pisses me off about you, son? It's that you're more than capable of defending your friends and yourself from bullies, and yet you don't."_

 _"... Ms. Thrush says-"_

 _"-Fuck Mrs. Thrush, okay?! Now eat your fucking half of the heart!-"_

 _"-Mrs. Winchester, I believe you're being too... prejudice, towards little Cardin. And you're flight is about to leave in thirty minutes, you should leave now for your mission. I'll take care of this."_

 _"... Fine Richard. Cardin, when I get back here, you better be more_ _ **fucking**_ _willing to eat Grimm hearts, understood?"_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"..._ _ **UN. DER. STOOD?!-**_ _"_

 _"-_ _ **OW- MOMMY! IT HURTS!"**_

 _"IT BETTER YOU LITTLE SHIT! Now answer me!"_

 _"-YES! YES, I UNDERSTAND MOMMY!"_

 _"... Good..."_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"... Oh, Little Cardin. I don't want to do this, but Ms. Winchester is right; you need to eat this."_

 _"... Why?"_

 _"She told you, remember? You and her have to... consume the hearts to grow evermore powerful each day. That's why your mother is such a successful huntress, she... embraced her semblance."_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"... You know, when your grandpa did this to your mother, she didn't want to do it at first either."_

 _"... Really?"_

 _"Yes, and she didn't for the exact same reason you don't want to do it; it burned her body every time she did so. But the more and more your mother ate their hearts, the faster she became the huntress she is today... You know, the whole island worships her as a savior."_

 _"... Yes, I know..."_

 _"They are willing to give her their very lives just so their species can be freed of their constraints. She's a hero to them, just as much as she is to humans..."_

 _"... But... but not faunus..."_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"... Little Cardin, if... if you consume the heart, I'll take you, Dove, Russel, and Sky out for ice cream tonight."_

 _"R-really?"_

 _"Heh, yes, really. But... only if you... eat this."_

 _"..."_

 _"Cardin... you know how your mother gets when she finds out you didn't eat your food."_

 _"... Okay..."_

 _"Good show, Little Cardin. I'll contact your friend's parents while you eat your heart..."_

* * *

"Cardin... Cardin, get up man."

"Fucking- no, don't wanna'." Came the leader of CRDL, who's voice was muffled by the smothering of his face in his pillow. His partner, Russel Thrush, simply rolled his eye from his leader's immaturity.

"If you don't get up Cardin, we'll leave you alone in the room with Sky.-"

"-Hey! Don't talk about me as if I'm an object that terrifies people, because I'm not-"

"-Okay, okay! I'll get up!" The gargantuan student was quick to stop the silver-bluehead, even if it wasn't Cardin's true intention.

"Hmph, Cardin seems to think otherwise, _Scarface.-"_

"-Fuck you, you guys can be real assholes sometimes."

"And that hurts you, Sky? The last time I checked, you're a masochist, aren't you? So shouldn't you, I don't know, be _aroused_ by insults? Or maybe you're just so small that we can't even see your boner. Is that the case?" Dove's vulgar inquiry barely left him any time to dodge his partner's fist. The sound of the wall next to Bronzewing's bed breaking was more than enough to encourage his team to breakout in mild laughter, except for Sky.

"You know what? I'm gonna go get breakfast already, see you cock mongrels in the dining room." Lark's insult only intensified the amused guffawing of the rest of CRDL. Sky would have glowered at them even further, but he was hungry, _really_ hungry, and the spear wielder wanted to make sure that there were still waffles. "Thank Monty it's Friday... Don't forget your weapons either, guys."

Sky left the room after mumbling to himself, slamming the door behind him, which startled a few first-year students already in the hall. Lark gave all of them his biggest smile, promptly causing all of them to continue on with their day at a hastened pace. Sky just laughed at them with high volume, not caring if the students were able to hear his amusement of their fear.

With one glance, a person is able to tell that in one point of Sky's life, the corners of his lips were slit open, all the way up to the bottom of his ear lobes. The wounds of course were now closed up by thick scar tissue, making it look as if Lark was always smiling. Take away his armor and clothing, and one can see a violent story imprinted onto Sky's body, with scars from all kinds of weapons.

 _'Little bitches, that's what they all are.'_ Sky broke into a stream of mental slander, all the while he continued to traverse the halls of the dorm building. _'They all hate us, and they fear us._ ' Sky exited the structure, exposing his scarred face to the bright sphere above. Much to his discomfort, the high heat of this day was already causing his body to sweat under his armor and clothing.

"Ah, for fuck's sake. Gah, why couldn't we have a normal class-day? Fucking' exchange teams, fuck the Vytal Festival." Sky, in actuality, didn't mean what he said when referring to the Vytal Festival. The boy knew how important it is, and he practically believed it was the only reason why another Great War hasn't started at all. But he did despise the exchange teams, or at least the ones Sky has come to know for the last few months.

They hated him, and the rest of CRDL. Sky was sure that every single exchange student from Haven, Shade, and Atlas wanted to see him and his team die more than any other student in Beacon. They didn't hide their hatred either, and that just riled up CRDL something fierce; the four boys were always reminded of RWBY and JNPR whenever an exchange team glowered at them. Sky and his friends just loathed those two teams animosity, and the eight students felt the same towards CRDL. With there were now being more teams just like RWBY and JNPR, the four bullies just had more people and faunus to deal with until the Vytal Festival

The only thing stopping them from inflicting grievous bodily harm on the exchange teams was the fact that a certain woman in all of CRDL's lives would severely do the same on their bodies. They already had enough scars of the crime on them, Sky knew they didn't need any more.

"Ah, here we are, there better be- **_OOOPH!_** " Sky felt a large figure bump into him, effectively knocking both of them down onto the floor of the dining hall. Lark could practically _feel_ the silence fall over the morning crowd, along with a sense of desire; there a pang of discomfort on his bottom. "Who the hell?" But before he could continue forward with trying to get himself off by pain, Sky needed to know who it was he bumped into. The first thing he saw from looking up was a pair of familiar, long, brown, laced boot. _'Oh boy, could it be?-'_

"-Tch, watch where you're going, _Sky Lark._ " The voice with a tone of accomplishment confirmed that it was Scarlet David, of the Haven team SSSN. Sky couldn't help himself from grinning from hearing the redhead's annoyance. But, Sky felt angry, along with being joyful; he hated Scarlet more than anyone, as far as he knew. Sky also hated capes, just like the one Scarlet was wearing; the student's style itself was more than enough to infuriate Sky. And he knew just how to deal with it.

"Gah, I feel sorry for you, Scarlet, it must be a burden to be **_PMSing_** all day, everyday-" Sky stopped with he felt the bottom of the cutlass and flintlock-user's boot smash against his scarred face. A second later, the boy was able to feel the light stream of blood flow out of his left nostril and onto his lips. Soon his teeth were instead red, rather than white, and the feeling of arousal took hold; this is what Sky would strive for everyday, but rarely get.

"SCARELT!" His grin faltered when the voice rang through out the dining hall. Scarlet's partner, Neptune Vasilia rushed over to the two students, and Lark was able to tell by the Haven student's tone that he intended to stop the redhead. "Just let it go man, _he's_ not worth it."

"Mmph, yeah, I'm not worth it. And I'm sure all the girls you sleep with are worth the risk of getting an STD." The halberdier rose to his feet with the retort, wiping the blood off his face. He soon found his old strength reinforcing his smile of ecstasy when Neptune scowled at Sky this time

"That sounds like something a guy barely getting any would say-"

"-Ho damn, that's a low blow, Neptune. But hey, I believe in the saying _quality, over quantity._ I mean, hell, you can't get any lower than bumping uglies with that _Schnee_ girl."

"What?!" CRDL's masochist only smiled harder when he heard the agitated voice of Schnee Dust Company's heiress. The look of dried blood on skin and teeth on an expression of joy was more than enough to unnerve Scarlet and Neptune. But the two knew they couldn't let Sky see their feelings; it would give him the knowledge that they were somewhat scared of him.

Before Sky could even say anything, he felt the small hand of Weiss grip his left wrist with what he thought of as pitiful strength. She wasn't strong enough to make him turn around, so Sky did so willingly, prompting the pale girl to pull her hand back when she saw his bloodied smile. She felt exactly what the students from Haven were feeling, and just like them, Weiss couldn't show it either.

"What did you say about me?!-"

"-That hooking up with you is like hooking up with a five-lien street whore?" It came fast, and hard. Weiss slapped Sky with volume that echoed throughout the dining hall, followed by the joyful laughter of the bully. Today was going well for him, that's how Sky felt. " _Oh yeah baby,_ give it to me _gooood."_ As soon as the lewd begging ended, Sky, yet again, felt another hand grab his left wrist from behind. What made it different from Schnee's was that it belonged to either Neptune or Scarlet, they both had the strength required to pull Lark around.

He found out it was Neptune who grabbed him, and who also completely decked him right there at the spot. Sky's head slammed against the floor as more crimson shot out of his nose and mouth; it was all a pleasant surprise to him. Sky would have never guessed it'd be this easy to piss off Neptune, and that he was this violent also.

"HEY!" Unfortunately for Lark, he knew his fun was over when he heard the commanding voice of his leader boom at three students surrounding him. He looked over to his right, still lying on the ground, to see Cardin standing a few meters away from the three huntsmen and huntress-in-training.

Winchester had adorned his glorious armor, trimmed with gold and marked by a bird-symbol on his chest, along with his black pants, armor boots, black red-trimmed shirt, black leather gloves, and his black, hooded, leather poncho, lined a gold coloring. Cardin always covered his face with the hood, hiding it rather effectively from all of Beacon. Even when required to wear a uniform, Winchester would always wear his black poncho over it. Sky though of it depressingly, how Cardin always chose to hide his face, but that didn't make him any less intimidating though.

"What did I say about doing this kind of stuff, Sky?" Cardin incredulously asked his friend to recall his memory. But Cardin didn't wait for an answer, he just pulled Sky back up by his v-neck collar. The mace-wielder also took it upon himself to pull Sky away from Weiss, Neptune, and Scarlet while they all made an effort to burn a hole through the two bully's heads.

That was also when the rest of the students in the dining hall resumed to their normal, drama-free lives, taking Cardin's interference as a sign that the fight was over.

"Gah, you're always a buzzkill Cardin."

"Shut up you filthy masochist." The behemoth stopped when they reached a table with four trays stacked with breakfast, two on each side. Russel and Dove were already sitting next, as expected, so that left Cardin and Sky with the only free side. Lark was pushed down onto the seat with the tray stacked with waffles and syrup, along with a plastic fork and knife. "Eat your damn breakfast, we have half an hour until we're forced to go to to today's marathon of sparring."

Sky would have grumbled something disrespectful in response, but since Cardin was so considerate of getting Lark waffles, he decided to let his leader's interruption pass.

"Ya' know, Nora asked us a minute ago why you like waffles." Russel informed his scarred friend, before taking a bite out of his sausage and cheese sandwich.

"... Are you serious?"

"Yeah, we told her that we don't know why you like waffles. And she said the fact that you like waffles makes you a target of hers..."

"..."

"..."

"... Pfft, really? Whatever, like I'm scared of that pathetic, optimistic, pancake sympathizer."

"Damn, what's wrong with pancakes?"

"What's **_wrong_** with pancakes, Russel, is that they always absorb the syrup. Which turns them all soggy and... blegh. BUT, waffles don't absorb syrup as much as pancakes do, so they **_don't_** turn soggy." All three of Sky's allies took a few seconds to think about what their precious masochist said. None of them could poke any holes in his logic; pancakes do get soggy when they absorb too much syrup, and as far as they knew, no one liked soggy pancakes. But maybe Nora did, they weren't sure...

* * *

"So... you two sure taught that scumbag a lesson."

"Uh, Reese, I don't... think they really taught Sky anything." The tall, pinkhead spoke his mind out, prompting all seven of the other Haven exchange students to look at him, all waiting for Nadir to give his reason. "W-well, I mean... he's a masochist. So, it wasn't like you two were really hurting him."

"... Yeah, you're right. If anything, I guess we were encouraging him to be a douchebag." Neptune's reply was defeated, despite him not appearing as so. Scarlet would have said something as well, if only he could think of why they _were_ teaching Sky Lark a lesson in what being a bully brings him. But he definitely knew, no matter how hard he pondered, that he, Neptune, and also Weiss, weren't doing anything effective to knock Sky off his horse.

"His friends... they're not masochists."

"... Bolin, you're not suggesting we **_attack_** his friends, are you? A huntsmen would never do that."

"Oh, but bullying faunus, just because they're faunus, is? Is that something a hunter would do, Sage?" Yellow eyes narrowed at the obvious prejudice in Bolin's attitude. But Sage relaxed, reluctantly; Bolin's rhetoric was right. Hunters and huntresses weren't meant to be racist, but yet there was still a handful of them who'd rather see a faunus caged than given civil rights. "...No, that's what I thought.-"

"-Bolin, even though you're right, attacking... those scumbags would be unwise."

"What, why? Don't you have _faith_ in your team being capable of taking on anyone, Arslan?" Reese's sarcastic emphasis on 'faith' was more than enough to put her leader in a bad mood. She had issues with controlling her anger and Reese knew it; Arslan didn't know why her hoverboard-weapon-using friend had to try an provoke her.

" _Reese,_ if you ever took a good, long look at CRDL, you can obviously tell each member is seasoned, even if they're all first years."

"Tch, really? What makes you say that?"

"Well, Sun, you don't get scars like theirs from a damn puppy. Russel lost his left eye, and a majority of the left side of his face is scarred from a fire, probably due to third-degree burns, and now he wears an eyepatch. Sky... ugh, Monty knows what happened to that sick man. And Dove... you can clearly see he once took a bullet to his head, and _**somehow**_ survived. You don't get scars like those from a combat facility, especially in Vale. Wherever they grew up, life was most like hell on Remnant for them, and that turned them into... the bastards they are today."

No one even dared to talk after hearing Arslan's observation. It sounded understandable; the idea that all of CRDL having grown up in some sort of 'hell of Remnant' turned them into tough, not-to-be taken so lightly, scumbags wasn't far fetched. But then again, team SSSN nor BRNZ knew what each member of the most hated team in Beacon were capable of. For all they knew, Cardin, Sky, Russel, and Dove all could be weaklings, and it's just no one knows that all because of them barely being called on to spar.

"This match is over, team CFVY are the victors." Glynda Goodwitch declared, cutting right through the small silence that took hold of the eight Haven students, while the rest of Beacon and other exchange teams broke into applause for the second-year team's victory. Their opponent team appeared as if they just lost a match in the Vytal Festival, which they pretty much had. This whole class day was dedicated to teams sparring each other; gauging their skills and efficiency against other teams.

After the arena was cleared out of the two second-year teams, Professor Goodwitch entered the center of the area which the stands viewed.

"The next two teams up for the next spar are team CRDL..."

"I swear to God, Arslan, if you jinxed us.-"

"-Don't worry Bolin.-"

"-And team SSSN."

"WHOO! KICK THEIR ASSES GUYS!"

"... I hate you Reese." Neptune informed his hooded friend, who has just blasted into his and Scarlet's ears, much to their chagrin.

"Well, looks like you two get another chance to teach Sky a lesson." The leader of SSSN stated, even though he knew that it was nigh-impossible to teach the monstrous silver-bluehead anything with physical violence.

Meanwhile, with the four wrongdoers called to spar against the Haven team, they had already entered the arena with their weapons. They jumped off of the bleachers, and, unfortunately for Dove, he didn't anticipate them to be so high from the middle of the amphitheater. The end result was him falling face first onto the floor, spawning off a series of laughter from the students. Seeing one of CRDL injuring themselves was amusing to them as much as bullying faunus was appealing to Cardin.

"Aw fuck- goddamn it Dove! You're the biggest disappointment I've had the displeasure of leading."

" _Well I love you too, CARDIN!"_ Dove retorted back to the taller student, grabbing his short-sword off the ground and getting back onto his feet. A small blush covered his cheeks from all the laughter being directed to him.

"Well, looks like we have to wait for that monkey and his team to get here, so here's the plan.-"

"-Really? You came up with one that-"

"-Shut up Russel. Sky, you're going to take on the _man-whore._ " Albeit Cardin didn't use the boy's name, Sky was able to tell his leader was referring to Neptune.

"Oh yeeaah. It's going to feel so good."

"Ugh, Dove, you go up against Sun."

"Whatever." Dove replied, still bothered by his little incident.

"Russsel, you fight Scarlet."

"Gah, I can't stand that guy." The mohawk speedster gripped his dagger, squeezing hard enough to make it unhealthy for him to be doing so.

"None of us can stand that hardass. He's ju-"

"-Just like you Cardin, a _hardass."_ Sky's comment earned the masochist a look from his leader. Even if he couldn't see Cardin's face, Lark was able to tell the armored giant was giving him a dirty look beneath that black, red-lined, hood of his leather poncho.

"Well then... I'll be taking out that Sage guy."

"What should we do if we defeat our target?"

"Dove, you go help Russel with Scarlet if your finish off Sun. That goes for you too Russel, help Dove out if you beat Scarlet. Sky and I will help each other if we take our targets out."

"Speak of the devil... _sss._ " Russel prompted Cardin to look away from the brunette swordsman, seeing that SSSN had finally entered the arena, stopping at least two dozen feet away from CRDL themselves. All four of the Haven boys scowled at the four Beacon boys, each varying in degree of intensity. Scarlet was the one who glared with the most might.

"Are both teams ready to begin?" Professor Goodwitch received nothing but 'yes ma'am' from all eight of the hunters-in-training. It was slightly difficult to hear due to them almost being drowned out by all the cheering for team SSSN to beat CRDL, but Glynda managed to hear their confirmations. "Then you eight may begin!"

To everyone's surprise, Cardin was the first to go for his target, also reaching Sage at a speed all the students thought of being impossible for Cardin to pull off. It took the brute of a boy two seconds to close the distance and clock Sage right in his jaw, sending the tallest of SSSN flying back. Cardin chased after the launched hunter-trainee.

Sage's teammates couldn't do anything to help him either. They were about to, actually, but Sun, Scarlet, and Neptune found themselves being confronted By Dove, Russel, and Sky, respectively in that order.

CRDL was more aggressive than anyone in the amphitheater had ever seen before, it was unnatural. Usually whenever one of CRDL sparred, they fought defensively, except for Skyl. The dual-dagger-wielder always fought aggressively, and that was that. But something was inspiring them to behave violently.

Neptune was the one among his friends who got the short end of the stick in this situation; Sky was literally acting like a newborn Grimm this time. He had no care for his well-being whatsoever.

Sky was fighting like a madman, which a majority of Beacon students believed him to be. His thrusts, swings, and the occasional punch or kick barely had any technique in them at all, but it was no surprise; he always fought like that. But they were faster, and looked stronger that before. Neptune was forced to go on the defensive, which was soothingly easy for Sky, and frustrating for the other bluenette.

The first thing Sky did immediately after confronting the fake bluehead was merely thrust his halberd towards Neptune's face. The gunman had little to no time to dodge, but Neptune pulled it off with what he swore was the bottom blade's tip gently brush by his left ear. The taller boy of the two noticed Lark twist his halberd so that the axehead could be facing Neptune by its edge; and then Sky felt the sensation of his face's flesh being scorched.

Neptune shot his gun, right when he realized Sky was going to swing left. The blue energy splashed over the right side of Sky's head, emitting the sound of sizzling skin. Apparently, it also didn't bother Sky at all. Neptune assumed this was the case when the masochist still swung his spear, striking the tanned student's neck. SSSN's flirter grit his teeth as he rolled further to the left, using the force from the blow as momentum to as far away as possible from the lunatic of CRDL.

When stopping on his feet, Neptune brought his head and energy-projectile gun up to Sky's direction. Half of his face was most likely what Russel's once was when he lost his left eye. But that wasn't enough; Neptune continued to unload projectile after projectile onto Sky. He knew of the halberd user's semblance, and so did every other hunter and huntress-in-training. It was one of the two primary reason that Sky was barely using his aura for defensive purposes at all.

Lark was in pure ecstasy after the twelfth shot struck his forehead; at this point he could only assume all of his head was a gooey, black, texture of fire that only Hell could match. Sky wanted more, like the greedy pig he was, so he did whatever he could to force Neptune make every attempt to end their fight. He dashed forward with the large axeblade of his halberd aimed towards Neptune's neck, and could even hear the marksman swear in reaction to the increase of speed Sky now exhibited. Which was impressive, since Sky was able to feel his ears having been blown off after the fourth shot.

The tip would have torn right through the member of SSSN's throat, if it hadn't been for Neptune's aura protecting his adam's apple. But it still stung, even worst than a rapier wasp. Sky didn't stop there though; he pulled the firing pin on the shaft of his weapon, and smiled at the loud crack of a single bullet making an effort to penetrate Neptune's throat. But as expected by Sky, it deflected off from the boy's aura, and judging from Neptune's face, the pain was even worst than the axeblade.

The fake bluenette fell back after feeling the small, metallic, shell nearly give him a new orifice. He wasn't even given a single second of peace either before the thug of a student stomped the taller student's face. Neptune couldn't believe anything could surpass the suffering of taking a bullet to the throat, but apparently, Sky just disproved that notion.

He was giving himself a good mental lashing for hopping Sky up with nothing but pleasure that should have been pain. Neptune assumed it was the reason for Lark's sudden rise in overall power, and now he was showing that off in the form of shameful combat by attacking a downed opponent. Unfortunately, Vasilias knew there was nothing in the rules of sparring in Beacon that restricted from students fighting like common criminals, but it was frowned upon. The marksman also knew Sky didn't care about that at all, what with Neptune who believed was probably the ninth foot-stomp.

They just kept coming and coming, accelerating in speed and strength with hatred acting as a source of fuel. Neptune was beginning to suspect Sky of being a masochist _AND_ a sadist; a concept horrifying if it was being demonstrated by a normal human or faunus. But this was Sky, a human training to become a huntsmen. Neptune didn't even dare to say it, but if Lark graduates Beacon, he's going to make a fearsome, and successful hunter.

"SHIT- TIME OUT! _**TIME OUT!**_ " Neptune's breath hitched when Sky's foot stopped an inch or two away from the boy's already broken nose. The lighting of the arena returned to its usual state of lighting up the entire amphitheater.

"What the hell?" Sky wasn't pleased with the abrupt end to their spar with SSSN, but when he turned around, the halberd user was more than pleased that Glynda stopped it.

Dove was having an asthma attack; one that just dwarfed all of his previous ones. It was also the first one he had for the last six years. His lips and fingernails where practically indigo, and stuck out like a bunch of sore thumbs due to Dove's usual pinkish complexion turning pale as Weiss herself. His clothing underneath his brown armor was drenched with sweat, and the sound of immense wheezing and coughing, Sky didn't want to hear it again. None of it at all.

"Fuck! Dove, where's your inhaler!?" The way Cardin behaved was uncharacteristic of him, or to everyone in the amphitheater at least, suddenly speaking a horrified tone, like a father wanting to save his child. But he, along with Sky Dove, and Russel, all knew that it was because of this not occurring half a dozen years.

"Lo... locker..." And just like that, Russel broke into a sprint, disappearing down the corridor to the arena. It was obvious what he was going for.

"Shit, alright Dove." Their large, armor, poncho, and black glove-wearing leader plucked Bronzewing up into his arms, holding the wheezing student like a bride and running in the same direction of the dagger-user. The two left the arena filled with confusion, and surprisingly to Sky, worry, filled in the students and Goodwitch. He didn't take time to gaze at everyone's faces from seeing one of the most hated students suffer an asthma attack. He had to be there for Dove; Sky merely walked to the exit, grabbing the dropped sword of his friend. He could here Glynda declaring SSSN being the victors, but only due to the technicality of Bronzewing's misfortune interrupting the spar and forcing CRDL to leave the arena...

* * *

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"Was that the last one?"_

 _"Yes... she was the last one."_

 _"Ahhh, finally, it's like I have to do more and more everyday.-"_

 _"-Which is wonderful; the more you bless, the closer we come to release."_

 _"Yeah, yeah, I know... I know..."_

 _"... How are your children doing?"_

 _"Tch, those little shits are doing mediocre to good at fucking least. So far they've been excelling in combat though."_

 _"Mmhp, that's good. They'll be able to defend themselves just fine when they graduate... Deacon, was it?"_

 _"It's 'Beacon,' and that's only_ _ **if**_ _they graduate. They still have to pass their other classes."_

 _"I thought you told me the only thing Beacon and the... other, hunter academy's care about is a student's fighting capabilities."_

 _"... Yeah. I fucking did, didn't I? That's... my mistake, I guess..."_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"Well, I guess I should let you know Cardin is blessing us, like you told him to keep on doing. I've been feeling more and more leave the cage, and enter our bright-"_

 _"-I fucking get it. I think we should worry more whether or not those little bitches are caught..."_

 _"..."_

 _"... Why do you hate them?"_

 _"Excuse me? What kind of fucking question is that?"_

 _"Every time you came here with him, he'd always have a bruise or a cast. And the same for the second one when you brought him along, then the third, and the fourth. I simply wish to know why you hate those who you raise and take care of. I've actually been thinking if you really_ _ **did**_ _care about them or-"_

 _"-Hey, how about you stay our of my fucking business, okay? We have more important shit to be talking about."_

 _"... Yes, you are... right, I assume..."_

 _"..."_

 _"... We haven't been confronting hunters and huntresses as much as last year, so we constantly improving our ability to stay hidden, until... you know."_

 _"Hmph, good. That's the only thing I wish to hear, so... bye."_

 _"W-WAIT!"_

 _"What? What is it? What else could there possibly be that I should hear?"_

 _"... I... there's... something. I do not know what it is, but... a war could possibly loom over the horizon."_

 _"Tch, yeah, no shit. I've already been keeping you up on White Fang activity, and the Vytal Festival is coming up."_

 _"Ah, and it's going to be?..."_

 _"The fortieth."_

 _"I see. But... NO, that's not what I meant to say- Today, Draco informed me of... a few refusing to join us."_

 _"WHAT?"_

 _"It is true, our savior, we approached them, and they say they follow another calling."_

 _"E-Excuse me? Another calling? What the fuck does that mean, Draco?"_

 _"He doesn't know, and I do not know either. But... we can hear it too, but we have no wish to follow it."_

 _"Is it Cardin? If it is, then... fuck it, maybe they're just mistaking him for being different. The same thing will happen to them, no matter what."_

 _"No, it's not your son. He's the same as you. This though is different. A... another woman, she is far from these four kingdoms, and she asks for hell to come here, in the nations of humans and faunus..."_

 _"Shit, are you serious?"_

 _"I'm afraid so, and she does not... offer blessings, like you and your son. No, she... she is of human descent, but also of us."_

 _"... Do you think she's going to come here?"_

 _"Without a doubt, our Goddess."_

 _"Fuck... we're going to need more allies."_

 _"They will fight her, the hunters and huntresses. And armies will follow them as well; we have them on our side, even if they are unaware of our existence."_

 _"Hm, you're right, I guess."_

 _"And, fortunately for us, her presence is even motivating more to come join us also. I can hear them coming."_

 _"Well, isn't that fucking dandy?"_

 _"Is it? I am unsure of what the right reaction may be..."_

 _"No, I was... fuck it, never mind... I think I'm gonna go home now, it's two a.m., I've been doing this since eight a.m."_

 _"Ah, I understand Ziz, you need your rest to move forward."_

 _"Yeah, see you later."_

 _"Oh, and remember to remind Cardin-"_

 _"- Don't worry, I fucking know. Just... just keep me updated on that..._ _ **woman.**_ _"_

 _"I have nothing more important to do..."_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from RWBY**

* * *

 **Chapter Two: No one to blame...**

 _"What the fuck happened?! Why is Cardin crying like a little bitch?!"_

 _"Ah, Ms. Winchester, it appears... something... unprecedented took place at least six hours ago."_

 _"Something unprece- WHAT? What the fuck does that mean Richard?!"_

 _"Madam, control yourself, it has taken a toll on Little Cardin. I'm afraid your shouting won't help improve his current state of mind.-"_

 _"- Well I'm sure my fist breaking his_ _ **fucking**_ _nose will-"_

 _"MS. WINCHESTER! So far, he has done nothing to put you in this foul mood of yours, so please,_ _ **CONTROL YOURSELF.**_ _For the sake of your son..."_

 _"..."_

 _"... What happened?"_

 _"... One... of his friends, Dove Bronzewing... we found him in his along with his father in their home. They were both... dead. Each had a bullet pierce right through their foreheads..."_

 _"... Fuck... and Cardin heard about it?"_

 _"Little Cardin was with me when we went over to Bronzewing's home. He... saw it."_

 _"... Good, seeing something like that will help him deal with despair. He needed to learn how to cope with it and I had no idea of what to do to make him go through it."_

 _"I'm sure he's been dealing with it ever since he was born."_

 _"... You piece of shit, you're just in a sassy mood today, aren't you old man?"_

 _"Sorry, I hope you can forgive me-"_

 _"-Ah, fucking- forget about it. I can't say I don't deserve anything that happens to me anymore; I lost that right a long time ago..."_

 _"..."_

 _"... So, did Dove's father do it? Did he shoot that little shit in the head and offed himself after?"_

 _"We aren't sure, Ms. Winchester, Dove won't tell us anything."_

 _"Well no shit Sherlock, he's dead along with his old man."_

 _"... I was about to get to the unprecedented part."_

 _"And that is?"_

 _"... Dove's still alive."_

 _"Fuck, really? Shit, that little bastard is tougher than I thought. Wish Cardin was that tough, it'd be pretty fucking nice..."_

 _"..."_

 _"... Wait, so why the hell is Cardin crying then? Is it because he actually wanted Dove dead too?"_

 _"No, I simply haven't informed him yet."_

 _"What? Why?"_

 _"He locked himself in the bunker, you know how soundproof that room is."_

 _"Hmph, and where's Dove now?"_

 _"He was brought to the hospital to have the bullet removed from his head."_

 _"AND then he died, I assume."_

 _"Oh no, he still survived. But he's still recovering from the event."_

 _"... Okay."_

 _"Okay?"_

 _"Okay."_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"... I see, and you were..._ _ **helping**_ _Dion, Ms. Winchester?"_

 _"Yes, what else could make me leave for twelve hours, dipshit?"_

 _"You wound me, madam."_

 _"Ugh... sorry. I'm just fucking tired. I'm going to bed, if Cardin comes out of the bunker then put him to bed too."_

 _"I'll see to it, Ms. Winchester."_

 _"... Hm, actually, I change my mind. I'm going to break that door down..."_

* * *

"Gaaaah... Sky, if you don't stop poking me, I'm going to fucking kill you."

" _Pfffffft,_ that statement is living proof that your mentally challenged."

"I'm **serious** Sky, just let me sleep damnit. It's Sunday."

"Yeah, and we have to go pick up Dove from the medical building, remember?" Russel opened his eye in remembrance of what happened yesterday; it was without a doubt, the worst Friday of their lives. And Russel prayed that it stayed that way.

"Alright, I'll... get up." Thrush sat up in his bed, seeing that Sky was all ready, wearing his dark grey armor, black sweater and black pants. He also noticed how their room was missing their signature behemoth of team CRDL.

"Where's Cardin?"

"He left, and reminded me to go, with you, get Dove from the medical building. He said he'll get our breakfasts and meet us at our table in the dining hall."

"... And you decided letting him leave the room alone was a good idea?" Sky gave the green mohawk student a nod, to which Russel pinched the bridge of his nose with visible annoyance. "Dude, you know what happens when Cardin get angry and none of us are around to calm him down."

"Hey, you honestly think anyone's going to mess with him after what happened yesterday? People probably think he's sad or something and... _try_ to make him feel better. Probably by asking how Dove's doing."

"Yeah, that sounds about right. But you should also remember that you can piss Cardin off even if you don't insult." Sky bit his lip and turned his gaze to the floor of their dorm room, feeling stupid after hearing Russel's reason for letting their leader leave the room by himself. "AND, you know how he can be in the morning-"

"- I get it, I get it... just get read already. The faster we do this, the faster we can make sure Cardin doesn't try and kill, or maim... or... rape anyone. Or... God forbid cannibalize a student."

"I think people say rape is worst than murder or cannibalization. But... I don't think Cardin would rape anyone. The cannibal part though..."

"That's another reason to **get dress,** dumb fuck." Russel scowled at his friend for a second and gave him the one-finger salute, then proceeded to adorn himself of his green, sleeveless hoodie, light-green shirt, single-spike spaulder, grey pants, brown boots, and black eye-patch. The two ruffians proceeded to leave their room, and then their dorm building, passing by very few students due to it being a weekend; most were in Vale City.

The students they passed though either glared at them, like usual, whisper an insult when they passed by, or simply look at them with unexpected pity. And that mystified them both, but they also welcomed it. Russel and Sky guessed the reason for very few not glaring or insulting them was because of yesterday's events transpiring in front of practically every student at Beacon.

Thrush felt a twinge of anger at the thought that all it took for a few students to feel sorry for a member CRDL was for one of them to have a nearby-death experience. In Dove's case, it was his second. But Russel understood why no one would even dare feel sorrow for one of them before all that transpired yesterday in their spar with SSSN.

All four of them were callous, cruel, vile, and in Sky and Cardin's cases, idiots. Racist was another thought that came to Russel's mind, but he, Sky, and Dove knew that was exclusive to their mighty leader. But ever since the incident in Forever Falls, Winchester has focused less and less on tormenting faunus students, but still bullied the human attendees of Beacon on a daily-basis.

"Hey, we're here numbnuts." Russel snapped out of his pondering to see he and Sky were already standing in front of the door to Dove's medical room. Sky pushed the metal, rectangular slab forward, seeing their sword user was almost done dressing himself up with only having to don on his bronze armor, but stopped to turn at the door.

"Oh, hey guys... hows it going?"

"Good, good. Cardin told us to come get you, and to meet him in the dining hall for breakfast. How are... you doing?" Sky asked the gloomy swordsman, while Russel stood by with a soft frown and sorrowful eyes. Dove was obviously beating himself up over this.

"I'm fine..."

"..."

"..."

"... I'm sorry about what happened guys. I... I-"

"-Hey," Russel wasn't going to let Dove do this to himself, not in a million years, "it's not your fault man. You had no idea you were going to have an asthma attack, and neither did we. Those things just come up at random."

"But, I'm the reason we lost yesterday."

"We were winning though. If you looked up at the screen before Cardin called time out, you would've seen that Sky and our leader were nearly done with Neptune and Sage. While us, our auras, were still strong and regenerating, all thanks to you." Sky was actually surprised by hearing what Russel had to say. He didn't look up at the screen himself when he left the arena, so hearing that they were potentially close to beating one of the top teams from Haven was great news for him.

"I... it's just that... it's been so long. What if I have another one?"

"Well, first thing is that you start carrying your inhaler around from now on, okay?" Bronzewing nodded his head at Russel's command. Even if he wasn't their leader, the brunette knew his mohawk friend cared for his well-being. "Good. Now let's go, we shouldn't keep Cardin waiting all by himself." Dove would have asked him _"is that it?"_ , but he didn't. Dove knew it was a bad idea to leave Cardin alone, even if he was getting better at controlling his anger.

"Oh... hey, did you guys happen to put _Cory in the Council_ back into my locker?" Dove's question prompted a sigh of exhaustion to escape Sky's lips, with Russel chuckling at Lark feeling troubled. It was a rare sight to see Sky annoyed, so whenever any of his three friends saw the blue-silverhead irritated, they could barely contain themselves of their amusement. Except for Cardin, he was the master of hiding joy, but they were all sure he was just incapable of feeling any possible emotions.

"Yeah, I put _Cory in the Council_ back into your locker." Sky growled; he absolutely loathed the name Dove gave his sword.

" _Thank you,_ okay, I'm ready to go now." Dove stated like he was smuggest bastard in all of Remnant, having just finished inserting his left foot into its greave. The three ruffian-students left his room soon after, somewhat intent on meeting Cardin in the dining hall...

* * *

"Well, I got their trays filled with their favorite breakfasts," Cardin informed himself as he sat down at a table in the dining hall, "all I need to do now is... wait, I guess." Cardin stared down at his tray; it was practically smothered by noting but bacon and sausage. He wasn't in the mood for getting a waffle or pancake, it would've involved cutting them up into pieces and the mace wielder just wanted to barely work at all today.

He also wasn't in the mood to eat either, but Cardin did so anyways. He binge-devoured four strips of bacon and three sausages until he decided to take a little break before he finished off the tray he didn't want to even see this morning. Cardin pulled out his scroll and started to binge watch episodes of one of his favorite T.V., intending to binge watch them. But even then, the Winchester found himself not in the mood to watch one of his precious shows from television.

Cardin promised himself a lengthy while ago, that he'd protect his friends from anything that posed a serious threat to them. And he was always reminded of how he kept on breaking that promise whenever he'd hear Dove wheezing or coughing due to his asthma. And what happened on Friday made Cardin feel incredibly useless; he would always find himself wishing, and praying everyday for Bronzewing to not suffer an asthma attack. That was all he could do, along with making sure Dove always carried his inhaler around him from now on.

But other than that, Cardin was disappointed with himself for not always upholding his promise. Winchester believed the scars of his friends were proof of his breaking of the promise he never told them about.

"Hey... Cardin." The voice pulled the poncho and armor-wearing giant out of his gloomy stupor, and forcing him to look up at two silver eyes. Cardin just slaved over his body to do everything in it and his power not to hiss in disdain. He had no idea why, but Winchester always felt titan-like fury and fear whenever he looked at Ruby's eyes; Cardin was fighting back the urge to not use every swear word he knew of to drive off the young girl.

"What... what do you want?

"Oh... I just... wanted to see how you're doing." Winchester felt his chest almost drop; her voice had a tone he had never gotten used to hearing. One of a girl he never even befriended who felt concerned for him.

"I'm... fine. But, why do you ask?"

"You've been looking down lately, ever since what happened to... Dove, on Friday... Is he okay?"

"..."

"..."

"...Yeah, yeah, Dove's... **fine**." Cardin felt exhausted from the simple response, as if he just ran a marathon for a full week. He sat down his scroll on the table, which was when he noticed Ruby was actually sitting down already, across from him, looking like she was stuck in a cage with a lion. Winchester almost wanted to order the scythe-wielder to get back up, because she didn't ask for his permission to sit down. But threatened himself to bite his own tongue if he even started the sentence.

"That's good."

"Yeah... he's suppose to be leaving the medical building today. I told Sky and Russel to go get him; I'm just... waiting here for them..."

"... How are you doing?" Cardin almost wanted to tell her to piss off at that point.

"... Better than I should be." But he didn't. The face-hider felt that would be too mean, even for him, despite having done much worst. "I mean... it's just... Dove hasn't had an asthma attack for at least six years. The worse he ever experience ever since was just wheezing and coughing, and even then, I'd hear stuff like that twice a year. I don't even remember hearing Dove cough at all last year... but, just seeing him like that on Friday... it was his worst asthma attack ever so far. And... and I hope it stays that way. I don't even want to say that, it makes me think there's going to be more..."

It would be an understatement to say Ruby was shocked; she had no idea Cardin Winchester would be so open with how he's been feeling. But that wasn't what surprised the brunette with red tinge, instead it was how Cardin sounded like a broken parent. As if he was a father who just screwed up on protecting his only son. Rose was almost reminded of her father Taiyang, and her uncle Qrow from the bully's tone, but his mood just confused her.

"...Wow... you really care about Dove a lot."

"Heh, I care a lot about him, Russel, and Sky, even if they're all scumbag monsters of Remnant like me. We've been together for a long time, and have a lot in common too..."

"... Like... what?" Cardin stopped himself from blurting anything out; he had to remind himself of what's okay to say, and what's **not** okay to say. There was only one of the latter he needed to remember, so it wasn't challenging to remember what it is.

"Well... we were all born in the same year..."

"..."

"..."

"... Is... is that it?"

"Yeah... no..." Cardin actually hoped Ruby would leave after he stated one similarity, but he ridiculed himself for not giving the young student enough time to even react. "We all had a pretty shitty childhoods, we all want to become hunters, we also grew up on Disown. Oh, and-"

"WHOA! You guys grew up on Disown?!" Cardin would be lying to himself if he was surprised by the scythe-wielder's reaction. Albeit he hadn't told anyone at all about where he, Russel, Dove, and Sky were born and raised, the poncho-wearer did expect people to react in some sort of way similar to Ruby's.

"Yeah, we did, so?"

"So? Your home is the only prison island so far to be turned a vassal by a country! What was it like growing up on Disown?-"

"-I said we had fucked-up childhoods, didn't I?" The petite huntress-in-training called herself stupid in her mind for forgetting that. She could barely believe she just forgot Cardin saying that a few seconds ago. "Uh... sorry, I didn't mean to make... make you feel bad." Cardin was tempted to stop his apology right in the middle, but he felt like what he said was mean, a little too mean at least, to say to Ruby Rose.

He was not even sorry at all, he just said it because he made an actual promise with his brothers that they know about: to try to act kinder to the other students, even if he did not want to.

"Oh- no! It's okay; it's all my fault for forgetting what you said about your team's... time on Disown."

"... Thanks... well, anyways. Even if Disown is a vassal, it was, and still is pretty unlawful. And our... our... _leader_ always deals with the inhabitants who break the law with... pretty controversial methods, so she isn't very... kind either."

"Oh yeah... she's practically the reason why your home became a vassal of Vale in the first place, seventeen years ago." Winchester had never gotten used to hearing that. How she's primarily the reason why he and his friends are here in Beacon in the first place. Even if the prodigy sitting in front of him did not say that specifically, what Ruby just stated made him feel as if she instead said what he always heard whenever some talked about their leader that way. "It's crazy, how she was close to being nine-months pregnant... when she was sent to..."

The behemoth started to feel a bead of sweat roll-thunder down his left cheek. _'There's no way she can make the connection so quick, Ruby isn't intelligent enough to make it-'_

"Cardin... how old are you?"

"..."

"..."

"... Seventeen."

"... Holy... is... are you-"

" **-Ruby,** " Cardin blurted out; he knew it was too late to convince her he isn't Disown's next ruler. "You... please don't tell anyone that, pleas."

"... Whaaa?! You're really-"

"YES! I am her son, okay? But don't tell **anyone!** P-please, I beg of you!" It didn't take a genius to guess why Winchester was acting so timid about the subject; Ruby assumed his mother was the reason why Cardin is this way in the first place. He did just say his childhood was terrible, those only come around when you're either abused by your parents, relatives, or others. In the mace-wielders case though, his mother is the ruthless leader of Disown, so the prodigy girl believed it to be safe to assume she was the same to her own son. "If people find out... I... I don't-"

"-Don't... don't worry Cardin. I won't tell anyone about her." The Winchester boy visibly relaxed, with stretching emitting from him unbinding his gloved fists and his head raising up. Ruby wished she could see his face; she didn't prefer conversing with a student who always hides his face, or has at least been doing so for the pass majority of the semester.

"Thank you, Ruby. My... mom, she's a sensitive subject for me, and I'd prefer if the whole academy didn't know about her... You can tell anyone about the other stuff I talked about, but not **her.** " The contempt in his voice was all to familiar to Ruby's ears; Cardin always talked like this towards his victims, and Professor Oobleck as well. But hearing his rage when talking about his mother was confirming there to be bad blood between them.

"... Is she the reason why you hide your face? Did she hurt you?"

"... Heh, no... I hide my dace for a different reason. But I understand why you'd ask that; my mom is abusive. In fact, before I came here to Beacon with Russel, Dove, and Sky, she broke my nose for calling her old."

"What?!"

"Yeah, it happened during one of our spars. I told her she's slowing down, then addressed it being a sign of her old age. She got pissed and just decked me right after, it still hurts too." Cardin said, rubbing his nose to put emphasize on his statement.

"Jeez."

"Don't worry about me, she... she's done a lot worst before. I still like to think her abuse was... her way of preparing us for the outside world. Russel, Sky, Dove, and I..."

"... Wait... are the four of your brothers?" Cardin gave a loud snort in response, along with a brush of one of his gloved hands.

"No... Monty no. I thank him everyday for making me an only child for the first six years of my life. My mom just adopted the three of them when... well, why she adopted them is a pretty touchy subject, **_for_** them. But... I don't think I should tell you why; you're going to have to ask them yourself."

"Cardin, you know that your mom adopting Russel, Dove, and Sky, makes them your brothers. So-"

"-Shut up Ruby." Cardin cut her off, shoving one strip of bacon, whole, into his mouth soon after and breaking it up into bits with his teeth, soon swallowing the crisp meat-pieces. "Now, it's my turn to ask you a question. How much did your friends _beg_ you to not come over here?"

"... Did you just eat that strip of bacon in one bite?"

"Tch, answer the question Ruby. Or else I'm _eat you next~_ " Rose had no idea if he talking about eating her flesh, or a more private area. And because of that, she blushed and crumpled down a little from fear, and disgust. "Hey, hey, don't turn red like that. I was just kidding, I prefer pretty girls anyway." And just like that, Ruby's fear and embarrassment morphed into false anger; she knew he didn't really mean what he said. Hopefully.

"You know, I just have to scream _'ow'_ and they'll come over here."

"Who? The dust-addict? The girl who reads nothing but smut? Or your sister who you _play_ with every night?" That was when her anger turned genuine.

"What? You... you- don't talk about my friends that way! None of that is true!"

"Well, I know Schnee doesn't really snort dust. But Blake does read smut, I saw the cover of what she reads. And as for the last one... I always hear you moan her name at least once a month though the walls. Either you're fucking her, or you're touching yourself to her so..."

"... Maybe I should tell them about your mom.-"

"-You little bitch." Cardin rose out of his seat, slamming his palms onto the table and effectively breaking off fear-inducing chucks. Ruby realized how badly she messed up with taunting Cardin. "You wouldn't dare."

"Take back what you said.-"

"-I'll take back the first two, but not the last one..."

"..."

"..."

"... Fine," the little female speedster got out of her seat as well, and turned to see the rest of her team, along with JNPR, at the table she left; all of whom were looking right at her and Cardin's direction, "hey gu-" It was right when he heard the shout of rage from Yang Xiao Long that Cardin booked it, almost breaking down the doors to the dining hall in a dash and sprinting down the right hallway. He could here the yelling of dozens of students, all of whom the Winchester boy assumed were angry with for whatever he was planning on doing. He mentally thanked God for giving him speed that no giant in armor should ever be capable of.

"Gah- CARDIN! PUT ME DOWN!" Ruby started to vocalize her discomfort with whatever was happening, along with making an attempt to struggle out of his grasp. She cursed out loud for being so weak in terms of strength when compared to the gargantuan who snatched her away. Ruby could barely believe how fast he was either, and felt all hope of her friends, her sister Yang, slowly dissipate when she lost sight of them. Blake was the last of her team Ruby saw before losing sight; the fact that Cardin is faster than the cat faunus just demoralized Rose even further.

All the while Cardin ran for the sanctuary, which in this case is his team's dorm room, the mace-user pulled his scroll out and dialed Russel's scroll number. The device rang twice before the punk of a friend answered with his face filling the screen.

 _"Cardin? Is something-"_

"-Russel, get to the room now."

"LET ME GO!"

 _''Was... was that Ruby?"_

"Yes! I fucked up man! Where are you?!"

 _"I just left the medical building with Sky an Dove-"_

"-Good, go to our room now! Don't waste any fucking time either! I'm serious!"

 _"Okay, got it man!"_ The boy's face flashed out, ending the call with his team's leader. The whole time the short conversation took up was practically smothered by Ruby's blasting begging for freedom of Cardin's hold, tempting him to just knock the girl out and take her to his room. But that would make this situation worst, and he knew it.

Fortunately for him, Cardin looked up after putting his scroll away in his right pocket to see their dorm building, celebrating briefly while Ruby was filled to the brim with dismay. How could things take a turn for the worst this severe?

The haste of the running boy grew ever more, wanting to reach his room, knowing he was closer than ever to temporary safety. Cardin reached his team's room in less than a minute, opening and closing their door in record time. The feeling of only a little tension came off of his shoulders; Cardin reached his destination, now he just had to deal with Ruby, wait for his team, and come up with a plan.

The first course of action he took was searching a three-by-three crate in a corner of his team's dorm room, while still holding onto Ruby, who at this point had given up of shouting for help and instead focused on struggling. Cardin would have told her how stupid she was for doing that, and that she should just use her energy for calling help. But he knew how that would make her presence known to every student in the building, and how she was stuck in an unfortunate predicament.

Cardin soon found what he was looking for: rope and duct tape. He threw the material onto his bed, and did so with Ruby as well. She gasped from the wind mildly being knocked out of her lungs. The petite girl wasn't left with any time to even realize what had just happened; Cardin flipped her onto her stomach and grabbed both of her wrists while sitting on top of her. Ruby felt her cheeks redden when she realized it was the large student himself who was the heavy restraint.

The Winchester boy got up from his bed when he finished his first task, tying Ruby's wrist to each other.

"W-What? Did you- GAH! D-Don't touch me there!" A chill crawled through her small frame when the sensation of cold leather and rope made contact with her ankles. The feeling of tanned animal rawhide was overwhelmed by rope however, and along with that was Ruby's knees tied up, effectively incapacitating her. Ruby soon witnessed Cardin picking up the duct tape, knowing what he was about to do with it. "Wait!"

"What?"

"D-Don't duct tape my mouth shut, p-please!"

"Are you serious? I have to do it or else you'll be shouting; we can't have none of that now can we?"

"But, but... I-I'm a mouth breather! If you duct tape my mouth, I'll suffocate!-"

"-Bullshit, you are not a mouth breather. Why are you so troubled by the idea of me duct taping your mouth shut? It should be this, _**this situation,**_ that bothers you. I'm unsettled by what's happening right now-"

"-Excuse me? _You're_ unsettled? I'm the one who was tied up by a bully who always hides his face and is currently being held hostage in his room, by him, on his bed, that... smells like beef jerky. _I'M THE ONE WHO SHOULD BE UNSETTLED-"_

"-Shhhhh..." Cardin hushed the disturbed girl, placing a finger on her lips. Ruby's response was to bite the finger through the black leather that hid it from all of reality. But instead of feeling covered flesh, Rose felt bone that was sharpened, causing her to release Cardin's finger from her mouth in fright.

"W-W-What the?! What's wrong with your finger?"

"Nothing, now accept the fact that I'm going to duct tape your mouth shut. Or don't, it doesn't bother me." The son of Disown's leader informed Ruby, pulling off a strip of silver big enough to cover his victim's mouth. Instinctively, however, Ruby shoved her face into Cardin's pillow in vein hope of it stopping him from taping her silent. She quickly raised her head up, gasping, due to the smell of beef jerky being too much for the leader of RWBY to bare. "Now that's not nice. You might as well tell me I smell bad."

"I-It's not that! It's like you're pillow is stuffed with jerky!-"

 _ **CLICK**_

Cardin instinctively went for his mace, grabbing the blunt weapon in his left hand and facing the door to the dorm room, prepared to smite whoever it was that unlocked the door. He fell back on that intention though; it was just Dove, Sky, and Russel, with the latter shutting the door behind them. All three of the huntsmen-trainees seemed surprised with their own touch; Dove was confused, Russel was angry, and Sky was perverse.

"What the hell Cardin?! What is this?!"

"What does it look like?-"

"-Why the hell is Ruby Rose tied up on your bed?!"

"Isn't it obvious Russel? Cardin has a thing for bondage. Don't worry, we'll give you two some privacy." Sky's sly comment earned his two glares from his leader and Russel, while Dove remained exactly the same, and with Ruby's face turning beet red.

"We... she... I..."

"Fucking- whatever." Thrush threw his hands in the air, already tired and fully agitated from Cardin's antics. He soon grabbed his right-hand-dagger, Tango, and started cut the rope that held Ruby prisoner, much to Cardin's chagrin. " **Hey-** "

"- Don't ' _hey'_ me, Cardin. I have no idea why you took Ruby hostage, but whatever the reason is, it's probably just as moronic as you are." The insult really got to Cardin. Not because Russel called him an idiot, but because he called his reason stupid, irrational, idiotic.

"... She threatened to tell her friends about mother..." Russel stopped half-way through with the rope that held Ruby's wrists together, staring at his leader in disbelief, then back at RWBY's leader. He pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance at Cardin's thinking, got up from his bed with Tango next to Rose, and clocked his leader right in the face, as hard as the shorter boy was capable of.

Ruby couldn't tell who was in more pain, since Cardin rubbed his face under his hood, which was expected, and Russel shook his right hand like he just punched a stone wall. Both were bleeding, Cardin less than the mohawk speedster, but Russel was the first to recover.

"That is the shittiest reason to kidnap someone Cardin! I just... **FUCK!** " The eyepatch-wearing boy returned to releasing Ruby, mumbling about how much of an idiot his leader is, while the Winchester seemed to have finally recovered. Dove and Sky both were standing near the door, barely looking shocked at all from what they saw; all four of them were used to emotional turmoil like this.

 _ **KNOCK-KNOCK**_

"Oh..." Dove trailed off as he looked through the glass eye-hole of their dorm room door, pulling away only after a few seconds. "It's the rest of RWBY and JNPR, they look _**pissed**_. Especially Yang."

"Shit." Was all Russel had to say to the news, soon after finishing up on the rope Cardin tied around Ruby's feet, freeing the petite leader.

"What are we going to do?" Sky inquired, picking his halberd while asking so. Dove also grabbed his weapon, and Cardin already had his in his left hand. Russel was even tempted to retrieve his other dagger, Lien.

"I'll deal with this." Cardin spoke up, approaching Ruby. He loomed over the shorter girl, completely dwarfing her and blocking the room's only source of light from her. The first-year could swear she sees tears rolling down the boy's neck. "I started this mess, it's all my fault. So I'll finish it myself." Came the callous reason from his hidden lips. Cardin lumbered over to their door, which endure another series of knocks more violent than they needed to be. Ruby followed right behind him. "I'm sorry for doing this to you... guys, don't open the door, no matter what you hear."

Cardin opened the door enough for him to pass through, letting Ruby go out first and him following suit. The silence in CRDL's room was all too comfortable for Sky, Dove, and Russel. They knew three things were most likely going to happen from experience. Either Cardin was going to be beaten, or get off scot-free, or fight. But all of them were positive that he was not getting off scot-free, so that option is voided.

What started was Yang yelling at Cardin 'what the hell is wrong with him', followed by him saying 'sorry.' Silence took over once again for only a moment, and was then replaced with something being slammed up against the wall, along with shouts pleading for the attacker to stop. The bashing did stop, but it was followed by the grunts and blasts of an individual being punched, and judging from how low the voice was, the three members of CRDL were able to deduce that Cardin was taking a beating.

"YANG STOP!" It was at that point the assault stopped, giving silence total control of the situation once more. Sky reached for the door to see what's been happening, but his partner stopped the masochist, mouthing a 'don't' towards Sky. A multitude of footsteps breached the walls of the dorm room, fading into nothingness, and proceeded by the door opening. There was blood running down Cardin's neck, but not one of his friends worried for him.

"Welp, the situation is taken care of... who want's lunch?"

"Of course you'd ask a question like that after getting your ass kicked.-"

"-Hey, I let Yang kick my ass, okay?"

"Whatever." Dove replied, sounding as if he could barely care about Cardin's inquiry. "Is it even time for lunch?"

"I don't know, we have a damn clock set up, don't we?"

"Wow, does getting your ass whooped turn you into a _sassy_ fuck, Cardin?" Winchester was fighting off the urge- with a stick- to dropkick Sky's pretty ugly scarred face.

"Oh, it is lunch time." Russel exclaimed in a quickie, putting his daggers back into their sheathes and getting up from his bed. "Yeah, I think I can go for lunch. We didn't get to eat any breakfast after all. I was actually looking forward to that egg-sausage sandwich today."

"Whatever." Dove replied, now not even caring about Russel's desires...

"HEY!"

* * *

 _"What the hell is going on here?"_

 _"Ziz, ma'am, we caught this faunus stealing four loafs of bread and three packs of water from this man's shop. Says his reason for it was because he has a starving family back at home, and that the shopkeeper in this town is overpricing his food."_

 _"Hm... sir, how much does a loaf of bread cost in your shop?"_

 _"Two lien.-"_

 _"-He's lying! That bastard charges ten lien for a damn loaf!-"_

 _"-DID I SAY YOU CAN SPEAK, PILGRIM?"_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"... Ma'am, I... I think you meant to say peasant."_

 _"What?"_

 _"P-pilgrim's are people who wander around, looking for a home or something like that. A... a peasant is a person of low social status."_

 _"... Fuck, you're right... Well, I think he gets the idea."_

 _"Okay... oh, and he's right, this shopkeeper is charging ten lien for a single loaf of bread. He's also charging crackers for seven lien per box of four stacks, water for ten lien per package of six, twenty lien for each bag of jerky."_

 _"Fucking shit, serious? Sir, either you lower your prices to a reasonable amount, or we'll have you executed for hoarding."_

 _"WHAT!?"_

 _"... Okay, not hoarding, my bad. But still, you're overpricing food, so lower your prices to an acceptable degree, or... well I won't execute you, but the punishment will be severe."_

 _"Are you serious? You're siding with this filthy cricket-kisser?!"_

 _"Cricket kisser? That's a new one... now lower your fucking prices."_

 _"But-"_

 _"-Lower. Your. Prices. Or you'll be fired for fraud and replaced by a Vale agent."_

 _"... Ma'am, Vale agent's aren't suppose to be used to replace an empty position of a common job. Also, we don't have any Vale agents, the council doesn't provide us with any."_

 _"... Fuck... fine, I-"_

 _"ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, I'll do it. Just... just stop being an... ignoramus..."_

 _"... What's... an ignoramus?"_

 _"Ma'am, it's... a stupid or ignorant person..."_

 _"... I guess I can be a little ignorant from time-to-time..."_

 _"_ _ **OOOOFFFH!**_ _"_

 _"But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate someone insulting me because of it. You just bought yourself a year in the Disowned prison for slander."_

 _"What?-_ _ **CAAAGGGH!**_ _"_

 _"Sure-Shank, make sure this shop keep is run by another, more reasonable, merchant."_

 _"Yes ma'am."_

 _"And you, faunus you're free to keep the food you... stole."_

 _"... T-Thank you, Baroness Ziz.-"_

 _"-But, you must give me something in return. If you don't, you'll be imprisoned for three months, and the bread and water will be returned to the grocer."_

 _"O-Oh... a-a-and what is it that you w-wish for, Baroness?"_

 _"... I want your tail."_

 _"What?!"_

 _"Your tail, cat, I want it. We'll have it amputated, and properly treated. And you'll get to keep the food you and your family so desperately needs..."_

 _"..."_

 _"... You'll also be offered a job for doing it, you know that right?"_

 _"...You're a monster."_

 _"Hm... if you don't give me your tail now, you'll be imprisoned for a year for slander as well, albeit I do know I'm a monster."_

 _"..."_

 _"Well, what's it going to be, you filthy animal? You're tail, or you're family? Monty knows what's going to happen to them if you're imprisoned for a whole year."_

 _"... Cut it off..."_

 _"Excellent choice, though I don't think you know how bad this is going to be..."_


	3. Chapter 3

**_Disclaimer: I own nothing from RWBY_**

* * *

 _"Hey Rus- whoa cool! You got an eye patch?! Awesome! Can I wear it?"_

 _"No, Cardin, you dummy, you can't wear it..."_

 _"..."_

 _"... Well, you can, if Russel gives you permission. But he has to wear it now for the rest of his life, so I think he doesn't want to share it with a dirty boy like you."_

 _"But... why does he have to wear it?"_

 _"Fucking- he lost an eye from his burns, that's why. And his shit parents too, like they mattered anyways"_

 _"... Bur... why does he need to cover it?" And his p-"_

 _"-You little... well, that's a good question actually."_

 _"It's needed so that little Thrush won't get any unwanted attention, Cardin, that's why."_

 _"Thank you, Richard."_

 _"... But wouldn't wearing an eye patch still make people stare at him?"_

 _"... Well, yes..."_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"... Welllll, if you're done asking questions, Cardin, then mommy has to go deal with some craptastic political issues now. But today, Richard has a special treat for you and your friends today."_

 _"Really? What is it?!"_

 _"Today, little Winchester, I'll be taking you and your friends to the aquarium today."_

 _"Ugh, I fucking forgot we wasted money on that shit. So it finally opened?"_

 _"Yes, Ziz, it opened **six** months ago..."_

 _"... Okay? You say that like as if it's important or something."_

 _"I'm just shocked that you didn't even know it had be finished for such a long time."_

 _"... Welp, I don't give a shit. Thank you for wasting my time."_

 _"It's not like your 'time' on this world is important to begin with."_

 _"Yeah, say whatever you think will get me to end your miserable, fucking, shit-spewing life soon. But it ain't ever gonna happen, ta-ta."_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"Richard? Did she hurt your feelings?"_

 _"Hm? Oh- no, that's just what good friends to sometimes. If you're so close with a friend, you both may end up communicating to each other with rather than with proper, sane sentences."_

 _"Oh..."_

 _"Now then, Russel, wipe those tears from you face with this, and we shall get Dove and Sky. Then we may go to the aquarium..."_

* * *

"Cardin..."

"..."

"Mister Winchester."

"..."

"... Cardin!"

A rather loud thud from Oobleck slamming both his hands down in front of a young man who could quite frankly snap his slim jim-like body in half, did little to startle Cardin while other students in the class were taken by surprise. However it did wake him up, like the professor wanted, with the hooded boy raising his head until Oobleck could see the spot where Cardin's eyes would be if they weren't hidden. It infuriated the professor that Cardin has been wearing that crusty, black poncho, mostly because of how it smells like rotten meat, with it being unbelievably strong enough to always stink up his whole lecture room, and it has been like this ever since he came to Beacon. How Cardin, or the rest of his team, could endure the stench ever since then, Oobleck did not know.

"Mister Winchester, this class is meant to teach you the recorded history Remnant, with the details of decisions made by significant individuals for students to absorb and learn from, so that they may have better judgement when making difficult choices. What it's **not** meant for is you to use as free time to nap." Cardin found himself almost legitimately breaking Oobleck in half, just for waking him up.

Nothing was actually going to stop him either from doing it, except for him burping, which shot up bile into his throat, causing him to gag and accidentally bite down onto his tongue with sharpened pearly-whites. It prompted him to press a gloved-hand up to his mouth to stop blood from flowing down his chin and neck, but the smell was not stopped so easily, and instead spread about the whole lecture hall, causing every single student and the professor to reel in disgust from the overwhelming force of stench. Cardin felt no embarrassment however, rather he instead started to softly chuckle.

"Ugh- Mister Winchester, I... forget it. Just-just pay attention for the rest of the class, please." Bartholomew stated, now being deflated of his anger, instead taking pity on the young man. Others though were of course disgusted, like Blake who was dangerously close to Cardin, literally sitting next to him, since they were the last two to come in. She quietly uttered "filthy pig" under her breath, being followed by Carding looking over and staring right at her beneath his leather hood, which somewhat disturbed the faunus, for was he looking at her because he was somehow able to hear her? Or was it just because he heated her?

It was the first option, being confirmed when Cardin said: "Say that again, and this little piggy will rip your face, and then shove buttsauce down your throat." No one but Blake heard the threat, since they were still recovering from Cardin's mouth farting. He was successful in slightly scaring the loner RWBY, since it confirmed he was able to hear her, but it also just mystified her from his usage of the word "buttsauce."

Cardin turned back at Oobleck though, leaving Blake to her own unnerved thoughts as Oobleck resumed with today's lesson.

"Now, as we were discussing, Disown had been operating successfully ever since it opened for usage by the four kingdoms, remaining primarily under Vale's control for 82 years until the prisoners revolted, being led by who...?" This was why Cardin had actually fallen asleep in the first place. He already knows almost all of the history there is to Disown, along with knowing everything there is to know about every type of grimm that lives in their world, and how to fight. These are essentially the three things Cardin excels at than most of the other students.

"Yes, Dove."

"Once-former general, Lagune, and the island's current leader, Ziz."

"Correct, Mister Bronzewing. Immediately after the Faunas Rights Revolution, Lagune was stripped of his position as general and dishonorably discharged, leading to him living a life of criminal activity until he was apprehended and sent to Disown. While that all happened, Ziz, who actually fought under Lagune's command during the Faunas Rights Revolution, returned to huntress duties until she was arrested after massacring a platoon of Atlesian 34 soldiers and six huntsmen while they were hunting grimm, thus being sent to Disown not long after Lagune's sentence, all the while being pregnant. About eleven months after her sente- oh, yes Nora?"

"Why did she kill all of those people?" That was question Cardin could answer, but he knew no one would believe him, which would be great anyhow. He burped once more before Oobleck answered Nora, though this was was more silent, but also pushed up more bile the last one. Yet he managed to keep the burning liquid down.

"Ah, well, Ziz never gave a reason for her actions during her trial, instead choosing to remain silent for every question asked. To this day, she has still given no reason for why she killed so many people, but it was discovered that she had indeed affiliated in more criminal activity with Lagune before his arrest, so it wasn't the first time she broke any laws or statutes. Anyways, after spending eleven months of planning and preparing with Lagune, while also giving birth to her child, they started a small-scale riot that eventually grew into a full-grown takeover of Disown, killing over 200 prison guards while taking the rest hostage, effectively starting the War for Disown. This soon led to Atlas sending over 600 paratroopers only to be slaughtered with no survivors. In response, Vale, Mistral and Vacuo sent in 400 huntsmen to assist with a second wave of Atlesian soldiers, numbering at over 5,430 men and women. But even then Lagune and Ziz were able to drive them out with the prisoners and grimm, which were believed to have been intentionally led into war zones and camps to deal with the soldiers and huntsmen."

Cardin let out a very meek "heh," barely being heard by anyone, save for only Blake, unintentionally making her think Cardin found humor in grimm killing humans and faunas alike. Another burp, again silent like the previous belch, came out of Cardin, now blowing up bile that almost reached his mouth. Yet again though, he managed to keep it down as his eyes started to water and his teeth snared in a grimace.

"This would be the last time we send in bodies to quell the rebellion, since the war ended when Lagune, of all people, would end up sending a message to the four kingdoms, stating that they will end the war if they are given independence. This would end up opening negotiations between the four kingdoms and Disown, resulting with the prison island becoming a vassal for Vale, providing the kingdom primarily with precious metals and huntsmen-in-training. This would end the war only after a month of its inception, with 2,741 soldiers, 3,174 inmates, and 221 of the huntsmen dead, and Lagune dying three days later from his wounds, leaving Ziz to become the leader of Disown for the last seventeen years under controversial ruling, which we will get into-"

Cardin interrupted Oobleck when he pushed his notebook aside to puke out a grotesque, black, chunky liquid from his mouth, smothering the long desk in front of him and spilling near the students sitting in the front row beneath him, with most of it coating Velvet before she could react and jump out of her seat. It took a second for every other student to see what happened before the smell could assault their nostrils with a stench similar to that of his poncho, combined with sewage and chlorine. They reeled further than before from the aroma, gagging and pinching their noses, while Nora just broke out in laughter and Velvet uncharacteristically swearing like a sailor; the rest of his team though merely shook their heads, looking at their leader groaning in nausea and the bile barely steaming.

"Oh Cardin, not again." Professor Oobleck said, exasperated with what was the second time Cardin vomited in his class. Conveniently however, this happened right when the bell to excuse the students for lunch, so Cardin, wearily, took his notebook, rose up from his seat, and went for the door. "Wait- Cardin!" He ignored Oobleck and left the lecture hall, prompting Russel, Sky and Dove to follow-in-suit soon after. "Now hold you three- hey!" Oobleck was shunned has they walked pass, leaving the room and finding Cardin not too far away, walking among other student heading for the dining hall.

Managing to catch up to him, Dove was the first to speak up, saying: "Dude, can you not embarrass us for once?"

" _ **Oh, I'm sorry, Dove,**_ you're embarrassed? Really? Cause I'm not, I love throwing-up during a class. I love it when those bastards insist I keep on eating even though I'm already full. If I could, I would love throw-up in class everyday, alongwithhavingsextooIguess-"

"-Okay, okay, yeah, I get it. It's just that... you can always say no them. 'No' is an actual word that was created for the situations like what you go through on nights like-"

"-Shut up Dove." The Winchester callously cut him off, getting a loud huff from Bronzewing, clenching his hands as they kept on walking. "... Sorry, It's just that eating makes me stronger, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah, I 'member."

"Yeah," Russel started, "but it's just that... Cardin, you couldn't like ask to go to the bathroom and puke in a toilet instead."

"Fucking- do you think Oobleck would let me go to the bathroom and miss the rest of the lecture after waking me up? He'd probably rather die- which I would love to help him with- than let me go."

"..."

"... How would you help him with dying?" Sky inquired.

"I'd probably stab him in the eye with my cock like that one guy in that movie... what was it? A Solitas Film?" All the students who were walking near CRDL looked at their leader like he was a psychopath, which he was of course.

"... Okay Cardin," spoke Dove, "don't talk until we reach the cafeteria."

"M'kay." Cardin replied, staying silent just like he was told, walking alongside his adopted brothers until they reached the dining hall, grabbed their trays, got in line for food, stopped Cardin from getting into a fight, topped their trays with much foodstuff, and took their seats at a table, chowing down as more and more students filled the dining hall, including a disgruntled Velvet who immediately glared at Cardin, but neither he or his team noticed her since the were too busy with devouring their lunches. There was one person who managed to catch Cardin attention though, Ruby.

She came in all by herself, got her food and sat alone, since none of her friends were nearby. To Cardin, this was the perfect time to approach her and give a proper apology.

"Wait here, guys, I gotta do something."

"Okay, bye." Russel stated.

"... You're not going to ask me what I'm doing?"

"Well, we could ask you where you're going, but... does it matter anymore? There's like three other huntsmen academies we can go to."

"... Why do you think I'm gonna do something that'll get us expelled?"

"Cause, well... ya know... fuck it..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"... I'm just going to give Ruby a better apology."

"Whatever, I don't care. Just don't kill her by stabbing her in the eye with your dick."

"..." Cardin walked away without saying a word, leaving behind Russel, and Dove and Sky who were laughing like clowns from Thrush's mockery. They grew distant as he approached Ruby, who sat in ignorance of his presence, busied with watching a video on her scroll, until he took a seat across from her, almost startling her. But she did not run, instead choosing to take her headphones off and looking Cardin right where is eyes would be if they weren't hidden, and again, Cardin could feel some irritation from having those gray eyes of hers looking right at him, but it was much more faint than it was on the day he kidnapped her.

"Hey Ruby."

"Hi..."

"... I'm sorry for what I did, I-I just-"

"-You already apologized to me."

"That one was terrible though. I didn't get to say what I wanted before your big sister attacked me."

"Oh, yeah..."

"Ruby, I didn't want to do what I did to you, it wasn't the right thing to do, but I did it anyways. It was just..." Cardin one his hand up against his hooded head, scratching leather-on-leather; he found himself beginning to regret doing this, while Ruby could see how much stress Cardin was exhibiting at this moment. "... stupid, I don't know. Maybe it was my mother's side acting out or not, I don't know, but I just want you to know that I'm sorry..."

"... And I accept your apology." Surprisingly, Cardin smiled with no sadistic nature, feeling some weight lift off his shoulders.

"So we're cool?"

"... Well, no... I mean you did kidnap me."

"... What if I make you cookies, will that make it better." Cardin asked, remembering how much of a pig Ruby can act whenever she eats cookies."

"... _Maybe._ "

"Cool. Oh, and uh... do you still promise not to tell anyone else about who my mom is, right?"

"... Yeah, I promise."

"Yay-"

"-Hey jackass." Cardin hissed on instinct when hearing the voice cut off Ruby, recognizing it as being a friend of one of his many victims during his active time as being a bully, which he still kind of does.

He got up and turned heel to see Coco, glowering at him behind her shades.

"Something troubling you, gal-pal?"

"Fucking cut the shit, why the hell did you puke on Velvet?!" The fashionista aggressively inquired, taking a step closer to Cardin as students around them went silent, while Ruby, Russel, Dove and Sky watched, worrying for both of their well-beings.

"Ummmm... ooooohhh, yeaaah... I see. Well, you see, I ate too much candy last night an-

"-That's so bullshit. Whatever you ate last night ended up burning her uniform and skin, asshole."

"... Oooohhh, well, it doesn't really matter what I ate. What does is that you probably want me to say sorry, or some stupid shit like that, I dunno."

"You know what?" Coco incredulously asked, taking another step towards Cardin.

"What?" And he took a step forward, closing the distance between them as he looked down on her, slightly snaring his teeth at her.

"I have fucking had it with your shit."

" _ **Oh, okay,**_ and what do you mean by that, bitch?"

"The damn bigotry, fucking racisim, you constant bullying-"

"-Bullying, fucking- I've barely done that ever since I came back from the fucking field trip, you little duck-face, shit-eating, _cock-sucking **runt!**_ " Cardin shoved her back as he spoke those words, prompting the leader of CFVY take a swing at the behemoth of a human, coking him directly in his half-covered face.

But Cardin showed no visible reaction at all, with him not even staggering an inch. All that happened was a little blood streaming out of his left nostril, and a grin that let his tongue come out to lick it up.

"You want to know something, **Coco**? I fucking sick of students here treating me and my team like shit ever since what happened at Forever Fall. Everyone calling us pussies, calling us cowards, thinking we're the weakest first-year students at this shithole of an academy. Even when we were kicking SSSN's asses, you all still think we're pathetic. Well let me say that enough is e- **fucking** -nough. Today in combat class, I'm going to show everyone how fucking pathetic you are."

Cardin didn't wait for a response, he just walked pass here, bumping hard into her shoulder, and went for his table where his brothers waited, feeling unsure of Cardin decisions while the rest of students, save for Ruby, couldn't wait to see what they hoped would be a beautiful humiliation for Cardin.

"Cardin-"

"-What?" He snarled at Russel, only to be met with the little speedster blanching when seeing his leader's eyes, looking as feral as his mother's. "What?! What the fuck do you want?"

"..."

"Well?"

"... Just... just make sure you destroy her." The Winchester's face beamed with sinister joy, thinking about which way he should hurt her. "Cardin, Cardin."

"What?"

"But don't take it too far, okay? In all actuality, I'm pretty sure Ziz isn't above killing her own children if they're expelled from Beacon."

"Pfft, she won't kill us... or me at least, since I'm more important than you guys are."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"... Why you bully us, man?" Sky asked.

And Cardin replied, "Because you guys aren't human beings."

The four Disown hunters-in-training sat in silence for the rest of the lunch period, eating and drinking as more and students filled the building until the bell shook Beacon's campus, making CRDL get up, without picking up their trays, and left for the amphitheater, being caught among a sea student heading in the same direction, with some heckling Cardin about how he's going to get his rear-end handed handed to him on a silver platter, or Coco's going to mop the floor with him. One even told him to be prepared to be emasculated.

He then proceeded to emasculate said-student by kicking him in the face, effectively breaking his nose, busting his lip, knocking three teeth out, and shattering both of his orbital sockets, right when they were outside the amphitheater. No one tried to fight him after doing that, instead they went submissive and got out of the brute's way when he entered the interior of the building. The team of young ruffians took their seats, except for Cardin, who instead approached Goodwitch, who quite frankly actually felt a bit irritation when she started to smell the familiar musk of the young man.

She looked up from her scroll to see Cardin, standing before her, asking: "Mrs. Goodwitch, I uh... would like to request you to let me fight Coco Adel today." The blond professor should have been surprised by hearing such a request in the first place. A first-year student asking to spar against a second-year almost never happens due to almost all first-years believing they will surely lose. However, this was Cardin Winchester, a human that Goodwitch has seen dislocate his arm once during a spar, only to relocate it in the middle of said-spar and proceed with beating his opponent, so she understand if Cardin feels confident in his ability.

But she still asked: "And why do you wish to spar against Miss Adel, Cardin?"

"She disrespected me during the lunch period today, so I want to teach her, and _every_ other student, a lesson in pain about what happens you treat me or my brothers with disrespect."

"... Cardin..."

"What?"

"I worry for you sometimes, do you know that?" Cardin shrugged his shoulders as he shook his head. "Well, either way, I want you to know that even though I appreciate it that you're coming to me for once to settle a dispute with a spar rather than with a brawl, that there are still other ways to end disagreements that don't involve throwing fists..."

"... My mom wouldn't like you." Now it was Glynda's turn shake her head, sighing.s

"Yes, well, I believe she hasn't liked me ever since we met in the first place..."

"..."

"... Okay Mister Winchester, I'll grant you your request."

"Nice." Was all Cardin said, awkwardly standing there for one more second before leaving and heading back for his teammates.

"... Tch, what have you created, Ziz?" Glynda asked to herself quietly, resuming back to working on her scroll, waiting there for the bell as the rest of the students filled the amphitheater, filling the building with more and more commotion until the ringing of the bell hushed down that crowd of students enough for the professor to start speaking. "Today, class, as you know, is our hand-to-hand combat day, so there will be no usage of your weapons for the spars today."

"Oh that's _niiice._ " Cardin whispered.

Sky quietly asked, "What's wrong?"

"Oh, no no- there's nothing wrong.-"

"-Other than you getting to touch a girl for the first time?" A few students around them chuckled.

"..." Cardin would have insulted Sky back, but he decided to fake sadness by frowning, slumping his shoulders as his sighed. But he was right with there being nothing wrong. Cardin would actually be writhing with joy right now, salivating at the thought of getting to break Coco with nothing but fist, kicks, and headbutts, and maybe biting too.

Gouging her eyes wouldn't be so bad either.

"... Cardin?"

"The first match will be between Cardin Winchester and Coco Adel. Please head for the locker rooms and return once you're ready." Cardin didn't acknowledge Sky as he persisted on getting his leader's attention. But he didn't have to ignore any jeers, because everyone was still wary after watching him nearly punt a student's head off in front of the amphitheater.

" _Break a leg, Cardin._ " Well, except for Nora, who felt no fear when seeing Cardin; all feelings of fear in her was just simply overwhelmed by an unhealthy obsession of wanting to snap Cardin's legs in half.

Cardin didn't let this insult go either, choosing to turn around and say: "Hey Ren, learn to put a leash and gag on your bitch and learn how to control her."

This, surprisingly to Cardin and the rest of JNPR, was enough to prompt Nora to lunge at him, attempting to tackle him down with her inhuman strength. Except Cardin just held his right hand out to grab Nora by her bright-orange red hair, effectively stopping her by lifting her up in the air away from him, leaving her to throw punches aimed at him, only to hit nothing but air as some students started to laugh at her.

"Nora! Calm down this instance or I will send you straight to the Headmaster's office!" Shouted Glynda, shocking the girl as she blushed in embarrassment.

"What?! Didn't you hear what **_he_** said?!"

"As a matter of fact, yes, I did. And even though I disapprove of Cardin choosing to say that, the reason he said those words though was because **_you_** chose to aggravate him, a choice which was uncalled for. Now are you going to calm down, or are you going to have to see Ozpin today?"

Nora felt like bursting in raw emotion, but she bit her tongue and held back her feeling, only saying: "... I'm sorry, I'll calm down."

"Good," Glynda replied to the demoralized huntress-in-traing, turning her gaze over to Cardin now, "you may release her, Cardin."

He obliged, releasing Nora and letting her fall onto the floor, which didn't help with beating down her desire to now inflict more injuries than just broken legs on the behemoth of a student. But like a submissive animal, she instead held her head down in shame, going back to Ren's side, who gently wrapped his arms around her and looked up at Cardin, shooting daggers straight into his eyes, if he could see them at least. But all he was met with was a vile sneer from a child of Disown.

Cardin turned back around, heading for the locker room as previously instructed, receiving no more mockery as he went his way. He went into the locker room, hearing Coco either opening or closing her locker- he didn't care, made his way towards his own locker, swung it open, stripping himself down while managing to keep his poncho and gloves. The Winchester proceeded to don on his black underclothing, silver and gold armor, and made his way to the exit, opening to door to see Coco standing on the other side of the hallway, leaning back against the wall across from Cardin, who from seeing her was now miffed because of how much trouble he was going through just to fight her.

"What the fuck is it now?

Coco show no emotion to Cardin's irritation, calmly replying with, "You know, Cardin, as much as I would love to kick you ass and put you in your place in front of everyone..." She sighed and took a few steps to him before stopping, just to keep a safe distance between her and him. "It still wouldn't be satisfying enough for me."

"..."

"... So, how about you and I make a bet, hm?"

"... Okay." Cardin bluntly answered, feeling all of his anger fade away when he thought of what he wanted if he wins.

But the second-year stated what she wished for first. "Good. Now if I win, you have to leave Beacon, go back to whatever shithole you came out of, and never, ever come back here, for as long as you live."

Cardin hissed, seriously considering to immediately call this all off and just have a normal spar. He didn't care how low the likelihood of him losing was, having the possibility of dealing with the wrath of his mother for losing and having to leave Beacon made it all seem unworthy to agree to. But he realized he doesn't have to oblige to such a demand in the first place. To Cardin, if he loses, he knows he can just say "fuck it" and not leave. He did not care if it degraded his character, if it ruined his credibility- mostly because because he still did not care for something like that.

"Okay," so against his better judgement, Cardin decided to agree to it, "yeah, that seems fair. But if I win, I get to have my way with you for one night."

"... **What?** "

"You heard me, bitch." Cardin said as he walked towards Coco, closing the space between them until their faces were just a few inches away, forcing the second-year to endure his hot breaths and strong musk of jerky. "If I win, I get to have your body all to myself, for anytime that I choose." The sight of Cardin's tongue licking his lips as he said "body," along the wager itself, disgusted Coco more-so than anything else she had ever heard Cardin say, or seen anything he had ever done. With that disgust was also unbridled rage, demanding for Coco to smack the young man down right in front of her for being such a pervert in the first place. "If you don't want to do it though, than we can call it off. Just as long as you're okay with missing your chance to send me away forever."

"... Fucking fine," but just like Cardin, Coco's desires got the best of her too, holding her hand out for him, "deal."

Cardin smiled, again showing off his shark-like teeth to demonstrate his excitement as he roughly grabbed her hand, sealing the deal with a firm handshake before letting go and immediately walking back to the center of the amphitheater, with a livid Coco following behind him by a few dozen feet or so, though with strands of cold-sweat running down her forehead.

The two future-huntsmen took their spots across from each other as the rest of the student body watched in anticipation, finally getting to watch the most hated student in Beacon get a beating well-deserved. While Dove, Sky, and Russel simply waited to watch Cardin annihilate Coco; their confidence in him winning was even higher than his own. As long as they've known each other, they always considered Cardin to be more dangerous when using his hands and nails, rather than his mace, due to his unpredictability.

"Are both of you ready?"

"Yessss." Cardin responded while Coco nodded her head in agreement, clenching fists in preparation to slug some of his chompers out of his filthy mouth.

"Then you two may begin."

Right at the end of that sentence and the light darkening, just like the last time he sparred, Cardin again practically broke the sound barrier by dashing forward at the fashionista, prompting her to raise her aura-infused arms up in front of her to block whatever his twisted mind planned on doing.

What he did do though, no one, not even his brothers expected, was as he covered half the distance between him and Adel, Cardin used his momentum to bend his knees and launch his gargantuan frame into the air in arch-like fashion, cocking his right elbow back as he descended upon an awe-stricken Coco, only to his the air itself as she barely saved herself by rolling beneath Cardin, causing him to awkwardly land and stumble.

During which, Adel snapped back around and slammed her heel into the back of his knee, managing to bring him down on said-knee, giving her the opportunity to lock him into a rear choke hold, wrapping her arms around his thick neck and locking her hands together to effectively pull-off the technique.

Only to be brought up off her feet as Cardin rose back up at his full height. He did somewhat choke and gag as he moved about like a madman before- much to Coco's surprise- jumping a good fifteen feet into the air and positing himself to effectively smash her up against the floor with his weight. The decision, albeit effective in delivering blistering pain the entire backside of Coco, knocking her black shades off in the process, was not however enough to beat her grip, still maintain the hold on the behemoth first-year student.

So in response, Cardin did what he thought was the next best course of action, which was sinking his razor canines into one of her arms. Even though it didn't break skin, the searing pain to Coco was like as if his teeth had managed to break her entire arm in half with their force, which, as one would expect, would be enough to force her to release the hold, leaving her with tears shedding as she screamed and fell on her back, holding her arm close to her. This all of course left Cardin with enough time to turn around and pounce on her.

He straddled her in a rather lewd position, though instead of attempting to start intercourse, Cardin, with all the fury in him, grabbed Coco's head with both of his hands, clad in leather, and slammed her head into the smooth marble stage, repeating as so, causing her hat to fall off next as the back of her skull created sickening cracks that one would attribute to being bone breaking. But thanks to her aura, her skull stayed intact, which was instead breaking the marble where Cardin used her head to smash against.

But, again, the suffering was enough to force more tears to sprout from her ducts as she furiously grounded her teeth against each other. As Cardin kept on going with the battering, he started to make noises that appeared to be the hybrid of cackling and screaming, filling the entire amphitheater with nothing but the sick noise of a sadist finding pleasure in another person's agony.

He did stop though, ending the assault and laughter with one last slam, leaving Adel's cranium alone and letting it fall back into the depression he created with it, giving the young woman a dazed sensation, along with continuous, throbbing aches that left her cheeks wet with tears that both begged for mercy, while also wanted to hurt Cardin in any way possible. But as of now, she was incapable of moving, leaving her to Cardin who grabbed her by her now-rough brown hair by that small, long, wavy, caramel-colored lock of hair, bringing her head up into the air, giving the Winchester a clear line-of-sight at her neck.

And like a beowolf or boarbatusk, Cardin chomped down onto the vein-filled body part with enough power to cause Coco to scream bloody-Mary, wailing like a submissive prey caught by a dominant predator that threatened to rip and tear her esophagus, larynx, trachea, and thyroid gland, holding her down by her wrists as he did so, growling and snarling like a creature of grimm, getting his saliva all over the smooth, fair skin of her vulnerable neck.

"CARDIN- STOP!" Luckily for the poor fashionista, Glynda was here to stop this madness. Cardin immediately released his grip on the second-year student's neck as the rest of the lighting came back on, revealing a crowd of horrified, baffled, and somewhat enraged students, having just watched one of the toughest girls at Beacon be reduced to nothing but Cardin's bitch in this squash match.

Except for Dove, Sky, and Russel, who looked rather impressed by their leader's ability to dominate.

"... I win, sweetie. A deal's a deal~." He sweetly whispered into her ear, getting up off her panting, sweaty body soon after to listen to Goodwitch's evaluation of the match...

* * *

 _"Ah, Baroness Ziz, it is a pleasure to see you again."_

 _"... Yeah, it's nice to see you too."_

 _"Still having trouble with sleeping-"_

 _"-Yeah, yeah, yes, **yes,** I am. You always ask that whenever you come here."_

 _"Well... I wouldn't have to ask that every time I arrive if you once got some proper sleep."_

 _"Ho-ohhhh man, you don't know how badly I want to end you right now."_

 _"... Ziz, I am your ally, not an enemy. I apologize if-"_

 _"-Fucking- okay, yeah, whatever. Why did you come for this time?"_

 _"... Well, Baroness, I come here with a message of concern from Vale's council."_

 _"Okay, what is it?"_

 _"The Council, Ziz, has recently come under fire by not only faunas and humans, but also the other Councils from Mistral, Vacuo and Atlas, for allowing you and your police to practice the..."_

 _"... Fucking, shit- asshole, what? They want us to stop with the Sacrifice for Salvation act? Is that it? Is that **fucking it?!** "_

 _"Y-Y-Yes, Baroness, Vale's Council requests that if you wish to remain as a vassal under our rule, then you must abolish this law. Almost half of Remnant believe it is inhuman and cruel to make it where a faunas can only acquire a job by letting you and your men cutting off their ears, tails, wings, and tongues."_

 _"... Okay."_

 _"... Really?"_

 _"Really... what?"_

 _"That's it? You'll actually do it?"_

 _"I mean... yeah, I guess I will. A lot of my soldiers have actually been complaining about having to do it ever since I created it. And it's not like the White Fang are letting me just get away with it. Those fucking fuckers keep on attacking me at least once a month, and even though I enjoy capturing and torturing them, it has been annoying recently. So... yeah, if that's what the pussy-ass world wants, then the pussy-ass world will get it."_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"... Uh... is there anything else they want, or...?"_

 _"No no, I was just thinking of how no one has killed you yet for literally being the worst thing Remnant ever conceived."_

 _"... Honestly, yeah, it's pretty fucking crazy how many people try to kill me and fail..."_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4:**_ _ **I Know He Hears Me When My Feet Get Weary...**_

 _"What the fuck happened here?"_

 _"Ma'am, about two hours ago, the police reported a group of White Fang members broke into the Lark household and murdered the parents._

 _"Shit, wh-"_

 _"-But their son, Sky, hasn't been found. The same officers stated that they saw the White Fang fleeing from the scene with a small body in a sack, obviously struggling to get out. It was most likely Sky Lark."_

 _"Fuck..._ _ **FUCK!-**_ _Those goddamn cretins! Where did they run off to?"_

 _"About south-east from here, bu- BUT, BUT, ma'am, Ziz, please calm down-"_

 _"-No no no- the Lark's were good people! They didn't deserve this! I'm going to get my hands on those shit-eating cock-suckers!" I'll fucking force each of them to eat their own filthy fucking flesh!_

 _"Ziz- ZIZ! Wait!"_

 _"Now now, Sure-Shank, don't go after her."_

 _"B-But Richard!"_

 _"Don't worry for her health, if that_ _ **is**_ _what you're worried about. What we should be scared of is if she accidentally kills Sky in this fit of rage. Or if she doesn't let any of the White Fang live; we could find use in interrogating one of them on the whereabouts of their bases here."_

 _"..."_

 _"... Well, as long as we're waiting, I'll prepare some tea for her return. I hope those terrorists didn't destroy the kitchen in the process of this... heinous act..."_

* * *

"Hey."

"Yeah?"

"Should we wake Cardin up?" Sky whispered, looking over Russel to see their leader slumbering like a gentle giant, slumped over the long desk of their row with his mouth agape for any flies to go into.

"Nah," Dove replied, "if Port wanted him to be awake, he'd tell us to wake him up by now. He's not annoying anyone with snoring either, so... yeah, just leave him."

Sky nodded, pursing his lips as he thought about it, and went back to working on their assignment. Lark would have waken up their leader anyway, just so he could do work and suffer like they were doing, if it hadn't been for the fact Cardin was a savant when it came to grimm studies.

So far in the past few days, CRDL have been having a good time. No one has given rude remark about them as they walked by, no one purposefully got in their way, no one has tried to pick a fight with them, no one just seemed eager in general to ruin their time her at Beacon. Dove, Russel, and Sky just attributed this to the possibility that Cardin has instilled new a new fear of them in their fellow huntsmen-in-training when he had layed a vicious smackdown on Coco, one of the top second-year students in Beacon today. No one would want to mess with a team who's leader took out one of the toughest students at Beacon in what was essentially a squash match.

Also horribly maiming one of the other students before going into the amphitheater with just a single kick to the face might have helped as well, CRDL didn't know.

But whatever the reason is, they were grateful for it because of how it had rendered Cardin into a passive giant for the past few days; Russel, Dove, and Sky hoped it would continue like this for the rest of the school year, where they don't have to constantly try their damnest to keep Cardin calm and collective. But in reality, they know one day some poor schmuck will come in and sour Cardin's mood, but for now, they might as well enjoy it.

"Cardin?" The bombastic professor caught the attention of CRDL except for Cardin himself. "Could one of you boys wake him up?" Port politely asked, prompting Russel to smack his leader upside of his covered head, getting one of the weirdest grunts he, or anyone else in the lecture hall had ever hear, almost sounding like a rough cough mixed with a mewl of pleasure. The Winchester raised his head up to look over at Thrush, flaring his sharpened teeth as if he was about to eat Russel's flesh in retaliation for daring to strike him. "Cardin, come outside with me. I wish to speak with you."

But fortunately for the punk-speedster, Port was their to pull Cardin's attention away from him. Winchester hesitated for a few seconds before simply nodding his head, getting up out of his seat and lumbering down the row. Port then took him outside from the room, closing the door behind them and inadvertently prompting multiple students to speak among each other slightly-higher than acceptable volume, while the rest of CRDL remained silent, with little enthusiasm to help them with finishing the assignment.

"Hey, Dove?" The brunette raised his head up when hearing the soft voice, swiveling his vision to his left to see Ruby, whom he had forgotten was even sitting next to him in the first place since she was late to sit next to anyone of her friends or teammates.

Albeit he was mystified by the fact Ruby was just talking to him, he still responded with, "What?"

"Is... is Cardin having trouble sleeping at night?" Dove could feel Russel and Sky glaring daggers at the back of his head, telling his somewhat-pudgy being not to mess up with answering her. It was enough to get a cold sweat out of him and a quiet gulp before giving his answer.

"Well... yeah, he is. Cardin suffers from... ai- restless leg syndrome."

"Oh no."

"Yeah," Dove said back, now feeling even more befuddled by hearing pity in her face for his brother, "it's... it's pretty bad. Combined with the fact for some reason his body is more warm than the average person, it basically gave him insomnia. He doesn't go to sleep around like... eleven, and maybe twelve. Then he will wake up one or two hours earlier than us and can't go back to sleep after that." Dove purposefully excluding one crucial detail would have earned him a small "Good job!" from Russel and Sky if it wasn't for the fact Ruby was right there next to him. "That's why he sleeps all the time during the day, and also grouchy."

"Oh, poor Cardin." Again, hearing someone other than Russel, Sky, Richard, and occasionally Ziz, sound genuinely sorry for Cardin still weirded Dove out, and was now doing the same for Lark and Thrush as well. It was so strange that they started to think Ruby was just faking all of this pity. But then why would she do that in the first place? They didn't know; maybe she really did feel bad for Cardin.

"Yeah, Cardin... I wish there was something we could do to help him. Everything we try never works..." Bronzewing stayed silent on that note, sitting there with a gloomy, thousand-yard stare, quiet for a few seconds before looking back down at his paper, going back to writing as Ruby looked at him a bit longer before returning to her paper too...

* * *

"What'chu want, Professor?"

"Cardin, my boy, you know that you're my best student I've ever had, right?"

"... No, I didn't know."

"Ah, well, you are. Never in my life have I ever met a person like you who know so much about grimm. Their behavior, their preferred environments, the different types of grimm encountered- why you've even taken the time to study even the most obscure of them."

"Yeah... yeah. Thanks Port."

"Yes, well, that is why I want to ask you if you would... mind tutoring one of your fellow students."

Cardin's inflated ego and confidence faded a little, with his little smile doing the same, wondering if he should accept it.

"Do... I get anything in return?"

"Well, I will be giving you extra-credit for doing this."

"Okay, cool." Cardin said, nodding his head. "And who... is it you want me to tutor?"

"Yang Xiao Long."

Cardin hissed at a rather high volume, almost sounding like a King Taijitu, almost giving the burly professor a heart attack for how unexpected and feral it was.

"You don't have to do it, Cardin, I'm just asking you if you'd like to do it." Port attempt to calm Cardin was commendable, that is if Cardin was actually enraged. But in actuality, Cardin was just unsure of doing his, tutoring a girl who's little sister was kidnapped by him.

"No, no, it's just..." Cardin licked his lips as he rubbed his hooded cranium, pondering on the offer. Cardin didn't need the extra credit, he knew that. His confidence in himself passing Port's class was so high that he believed that he could just sleep through every lesson and later on acing the tests as they came. It was working in reality after all. But then what would he lose in return of rejecting it? Building good relations with Yang was the only thing he could see himself getting out of this, yet does he need that? Maybe not, Cardin feels he could just go on through the rest of Beacon's curriculum just fine with Yang hating him. Yet with that in mind, Cardin knew there would be benefits if he managed to befriend, or at least improve relations with Yang while tutoring her. And if it doesn't work, than at least he'll be getting extra-credit out of it.

So he accepted the job. "Sure, yeah, I'll tutor Yang."

"Ah wonderful, my boy, I'll tell her about it after class and you two can start meeting each other in the library tomorrow after you're all finished with your classes."

Cardin nodded his head before speaking again, "Yeah, alright. Also, can I go to the bathroom?"

"Oh, but of course Cardin." The young man thanked the professor before walking pass him, soon hearing the door to Port's lecture hall close shut as he passed a corner leading into empty hallways, leaving Cardin to wander in peace throughout the corridors until he found the men's bathroom, entering the empty facility and using one of the urinal to relieve himself with a huge sigh of joy, bending his neck back and letting his lengthy tongue flop out, feeling the bathroom light warm his skin as the last drop came out.

After zipping back up, washing his leather gloves and drying them, Cardin exited the bathroom right as a certain someone passed by the door, getting her attention to look back to see Cardin, with his hidden gaze looking right at her dark-brown eyes, which were too hidden behind those black aviators of hers, which did little to hide the sense of worry that took hold of her as she watched Cardin's mouth form into a sick toothy grind wanting to taste her.

"Hey Coco," just hearing his voice again was enough to make her breathing stutter, watching, with his feet creating rough echoes throughout the almost void hallways as he walked up to her, soon feeling his warm breath hit her face. Coco ended up having to take a few steps back as the giant Winchester encroached upon her personal space, eventually hitting her back up against the wall, feeling a knot being tied in her chest as she watched Cardin lower his head in an angle where she could see his eyes beneath his black hood for the first time ever. "It's nice to see your little ass again, sweetie."

"B-Back off Cardin." He had to admit: hearing Coco stutter from fear aroused his twisted mind, prompting him to bring his left hand up to twirl one of his fingers in those long, wavy, caramel locks of hers, further unnerving Coco with his audacity to be invading her private space like this.

"Coco, I've been thinking of... what would be the perfect time for me to," Cardin gently brushed the side of his right, gloved hand up against her slightly reddened cheek, making her muscle tense while he closed the distance between their faces, "... take your sweet little ass and fucking break it."

"C-Cardin-"

"And you know what?" Cardin brought his mouth close to her right ear, blowing hot air on it to effectively give Coco goosebumps as her body temperature rose in response, while at the same time making her breathing stutter again, with Cardin's chest and stomach pressed up against hers, and his left arm now wrapping around behind her neck, feeling his fingers proceeding to grab hold of her right shoulder. "I think... I want to do that now."

"What? Now? O-out here?" Coco asked in a barely noticeable higher pitch, biting her bottom lip with her cheeks now fully blushing at the though of Cardin just ravaging her body out in the hallway, where any students or a faculty member can just stumble upon her gasping and moaning as the Winchester fucked her to death.

"No you stupid idiot, then we'd get caught. I'm talking about taking you back to my room."

"Oh."

"So come on." Cardin pulled back, grabbing her arm as he started to moved, forcing her to stumble about until she stopped herself from moving, prompting Cardin to stop as well to look back, visibly annoyed, snaring his teeth to say, "What now? We made a deal, **Coco**."

"I-I know. It's just-"

"-What? I'm sure you can afford to miss a few classes"

"I... I don't want to be seen walking over to your room with you." Cardin's lips morphed into a frown, letting go of her as he nodded his head, understanding that Adel might not want anyone getting any ideas of what they're doing. Even if they were traveling in-between periods, all it would take is just one student to see them and spread rumors.

"Okay... okay, yeah. Just... stay far behind me, but not too far to the point that you lose me. Okay?"

With butterflies in her stomach, Coco reluctantly said, "Yes." And with that, Cardin left her, leaving Coco to stand, thinking of running while he had his back turn, or potentially hiding in the girl's bathroom. The only problem with those plans was that Coco was sure Cardin would easily catch her if she ran, or that he wasn't above breaking down a stall door and dragging her out.

So she waited for a few more seconds, a few more, a few more, until she starting walking in Cardin's direction, getting a twisted smile to sprout up from hearing the ever-so faint footsteps behind him. His hearing allowed him to carefully listen to the pitter-patter of her nervous feet as he payed attention to where he was leading her, encountering the occasional student or faculty member who payed them no mind as they passed by.

Coco would be lying if she said she was not scared right now. With each step taking them closer and closer to Cardin's dorm, the more the thought in her head fretted over Cardin not using protection, or Cardin taking actual chunks of flesh out of her with his teeth, or just how long he would take in general. But one thought that filled Coco with fear was that she would end up getting pregnant with a Winchester. Coco knew she could just get an abortion if that happened, but what if Cardin wasn't? What if he just forced her to keep the kid?

 _'Nonsense,'_ she thought, feeling all that blushing fear for what was about to happen as they entered a dorm building, _'that asshole can't force me to keep a kid I don't want,'_ with that being the final though as she found Cardin, waiting by his dorm room for her, sneering with lust for Coco. She gulped before she approached him, prompting the giant student to open the door and enter, waiting for Coco to reluctantly enter, feeling those butterflies starting to flutter hard and wild when seeing Cardin shut that door behind her.

"Okay, Cardin, so..." She trailed off as she watched Cardin take his red-lined, black leather gloves off of his hands, with thick, fat fingers that, much to Coco's shock, had white claws with rounded points, rather than being normal finger nails on the end of his fingers.

"Man, you're lucky I don't sharpen these." That didn't make Coco feel any better though, not taking her eyes off of this physical abnormality, not even noticing Cardin taking off his favorite poncho of a similar design, not until she saw it being slung onto one of the crates in their room, making her look back up at him to see his burnt-orange hair combed backwards, a strong jaw-line with a well defined chin, and those eyes, where the white is instead of a golden color, and his pupils were just pure black.

Coco would rather break both her arms than saying it, but Cardin is attractive to some extent. His razor teeth, clawed hands, and despicable personality just kill off the rest of the handsomeness in him that would make him the sexiest young man in Beacon.

"Okay," Cardin started, seething with anticipation as he walked over to Coco, who had just finished studying Cardin's features fast enough to bring her back down to Remnant in that previous state of flustered and worry, her cheeks turning red and burning again as he wrapped one arm around her waist, the other around her neck, and just lifted her up to line their faces up, getting a small gasp of surprise that was quickly shut up when Cardin locked his lips with hers.

Immediately, Coco wrapped her legs around his waist, but started pressing her hands up against Cardin's chest to push him away, wanting to desperately breath as she closed her eyes in fury while his long tongue pressed up against her closed teeth. Irritated with this, the Winchester brought one of his hands to her ass to violently grab her cheeks through the tights, roughly mashing the mound between his clawed fingers. Coco's eyes almost rolled to the back of her skull as Cardin finally pulled back to let her breath and moan freely, her face now red as a beet while he took off her sunglasses with little resistance, casually throwing them onto Russel's bed to see her eyelids halfway-opened while he still recovered from suffocating, heavily breathing through her mouth while Cardin still played with her ass, giving him a window to get into her mouth.

He proceeded to bring his lips back to hers, catching her off guard with his lengthy tongue getting into her mouth to wrestle with her own tongue. Again though, Coco started pushing against Cardin, further angering to the point of grabbing the back of her head with his free hand, entangling his fingers with her short brown hair as he pushed hard, overpowering Coco easily to deepen the rough make-out session, allowing his tongue to dominate and violate her mouth with little effort, effectively melting Adel's mind as her body temperature raised to the point that she swore she was going to have a heat stroke, further mewling in what was now pleasure, now wrapping her arms over Cardin's broad shoulders, feeling his tongue almost reaching down into her throat, and his erect member beneath his pants, rubbing up against her covered pussy, which now started to become damp from Coco's acceptance, and excitement, for what whatever happened.

Eventually, Cardin pulled again, with a few lines of saliva stretching between his Coco's lips, who started to pant like she had just ran a marathon, resting her head on his right shoulder with her dark-brown eyes growing weary from the heat and pleasure she was feeling from just making out with Cardin, still holding onto him with a vice-grip with her arms, while he still kept on groping her ass cheeks, not caring if he started to rip apart her tights, or scratching her skin in the process.

The Winchester, now wanting to move further on with turning Coco into a submissive bitch, decided to throw her onto his own bed, slightly knocking the wind out of her as he soon pounced on her soon after, eyeing her body to decide where to move on, soon stopping at her breasts while Coco just watched him, actually smiling in anticipation for what he was about to do next.

"Here- sit up." And Coco obliged, sitting up to let Cardin unbutton her jacket and vest, which was somewhat difficult due to his claws making it so, but he managed to get to stripping Adel of her white shirt, exposing her breasts to jiggle as her top was taken off, surprising Cardin with the fact that she wasn't even wearing a bra, while Coco just sat there, feeling her body grow, eagerly waiting for what Cardin was going to do.

What he did was push Coco back down against the bed as he wrapped his mouth down to her left nipple, suckling and licking the soft pink tip while his right hand just grabbed her right breast entirely, squeezing and pulling the soft mound, occasionally squeezing the nipple between his claws to get a sharp gasp of approval from the second-year student.

Coco let herself drown in ecstasy, laying her head back against the pillow, with her dark-brown eyes half-opened, gazing up at the ceiling while she let her tongue hang out while her breathing grew more and more airy, and her skin became covered with goosebumps, moaning with pleasure that only encourage Cardin to keep on going. She soon began to gyrate hips, rubbing her still covered pussy up against Cardin's dick, being squeezed by his pants, throbbing and pulsing, begging to be let out to penetrate Adel.

She started to gently whisper between her dirty mewls, telling him not to stop, to keep on doing whatever he wanted to do to her body, to keep on ruining her. Coco roughly grabbed the back of Cardin's head, rubbing him as a sign of approval while his suckling, his licking, his groping, and his pulling grew more and more animalistic, covering her boobs with his own saliva. In turn, Coco's groaning, mewling, panting, and rubbing of her hips grew more active too, with her underwear becoming damper and damper with every second passing.

At some point, Cardin forced his free hand down beneath her skirt, her underwear to start playing with her pussy, teasing her by brushing his clawed fingers against her pussy, prompting Coco to suddenly start begging him to do it. And he complied, shoving two of his fat fingers in-between the folds, making multiple different movements that along side with his groping and suckling of her breasts, melted her mind to nothing but wanting more. She begged Cardin get rougher, making him plunge his two thick digits in-and-out at a rapid pace, while now occasionally biting her breasts, drawing a little blood and causing some pain that was only drowned by her desire to wanting to cum.

It didn't take too long after demanding he got more rough that Coco started to feel herself about to climax, prompting her to keep shut her eyes and let out longer, more higher moans, unintentionally making Cardin crank his biting, licking, fingering, and groping up to eleven, feeling his dick growing harder and harder as Coco finally approached her climax, cumming and slathering Cardin's fingers in her own juices while he stopped playing with her breast just to focus on pulling and shoving his two fingers, grinning perversely as he watched Coco shut her eyes, her cheeks turn impossibly red, her moans becoming more hoarse and loud while feeling her cum now covering the rest of his hand.

He eventually stopped when Coco entered a relaxed state, now just heaving to regain her breath, leaving Cardin to pulling out his drenched fingers, which got a long, quiet mewl that pleaded with him to put the back in. But instead, Cardin put his two fingers into her mouth, stating, "Fucking clean it up you little whore," making Coco sucking and licking his fingers and entire hand to the wrists, at the same time gently rubbing her head, feeling her disheveled hair while listening to the slobbering sound of Adel cleaning his hand of her own cum, soon looking back down to see her blushing face, tears rolling down her cheeks as she soon released his hand from her mouth, looking back up at Cardin with a little bitch face that most pleased him.

"You're such a good little bitch, Coco," Cardin lowered his head to lock lips with her again, making out with Coco to taste her now while getting her to softly whimper, still wanting more from him. "Now, get on your hands and knees, and show me you fucking ass." Whimpering again, Coco followed his orders and turner herself over, keeping her upper body down against the bed while she presented her perfectly round ass to Cardin, covered with her black tights and her red plaid skirt. "I gotta say, Coco, your ass is far nicer than your chest."

"S-Shut up." She meekly shot back, still exhausted from having just been fingered and groped by this vile giant, who only chuckled.

"You're so pathetic." Was what he said before unzipping his pant, finally letting out his uncircumcised penis out for fresh air, pulsing and growing even more in excitement for getting ready to destroy her ass. Coco managed to get a good look at it, shocked in awe from the size of Cardin's member; it was probably only one or two inches longer than average, but the girth was what made it impressive, getting her wet so soon again, now suddenly being overwhelmed with the desire to get ruined by his cock now.

Cardin moved on with pulling down down her skit and tights to just her knees, exposing her bare ass to Cardin's callous hands, proceeding to slap her right cheek with a hand, being hard enough to get a disgruntled, lewd grunt out of Coco, gripping his pillow as he continued on with smacking her ass cheeks, leaving red hand prints on the fleshy globes.

He actually stopped when Coco shouted, "Just- fucking stop, Cardin! Just f-fuck me already."

"Okay, okay." He wryly replied, just grabbing both cheeks with his clawed hands, digging them into her skin and he brought himself closer to her ass. He spread her cheeks apart to line his raging member with her asshole, getting a sharp gasp out of Coco as she felt his tip press up against the opening, her whole body trembling and burning, screaming for him to just do it already.

The Winchester did finally shove himself into her, forcing her asshole to widen beyond normal capacity as she shoved her face into his pillow to scream in erotic euphoria, quickly bringing her face pack up to freely huff and puff in pleasure, her eyes wincing in joy as Cardin slowly pushed in deeper and deeper, madly twitching and pulsing until he bottomed out, getting Coco to start panting in pleasurable insanity from feeling her ass be ravaged and destroyed by Cardin Winchester.

"Oh- _fuuuuuuuck! P-Please break m-me_." Hearing her finally become a submissive bitch got Cardin excited, quickly pulling out his dick until his tip only remained inside, getting more whimpering and mewling from the pathetic huntress-in-training, biting her lips to the point they started to bleed as he then violently rammed into her rectum, making her scream again in ecstasy.

Cardin repeated the process, aggressively picking up the pace as he slapped his balls up against her pussy, forcing Coco to groan in cohesion with every time Cardin hist bottom, sometimes feeling him just lift her up with his dick as he started to lose himself in making Coco his own little bitch. The young man legitimately started to growl like an animal as he scraped his penis against the walls of Coco rectum, but she could barely hear him due to every one of her senses growing numb as nothing but sexual delight.

The Winchester, now gripping Adel by her hips, digging his white, round claws into her skin and violently pulling her up against his crotch as he roughly thrusted his throbbing dick into her ass, with his growls becoming deeper and louder as Coco's groans and whimper grew in volume, her eyes now rolling to the back of her skull, her knuckles turning white from so tightly gripping Cardin's pillow, her toes curling while her body started to significantly tremble even more, and more tears rolling down her tomato-red cheeks and being soaked by the pillow.

Cardin eventually lowered his body onto Coco, seething with saliva drooling down onto her back while he kept on thrashing the insides of Coco's asshole, almost believing she was about to cut his member off with how tight her asshole had become ever since they started. Though that only brought him closer to ejaculation, motivating him to just accelerate his pace and grabbing Coco by her hair, pulling her up with a sensual whimper coming out from he lips that incidentally brought Cardin closer to releasing himself into her.

"Who's my little fucking bitch? Huh?!" Cardin violently pulled on Coco's hair, only getting her to squeeze her asshole on his twitching member tighter while letting out another moan that only a submissive bitch could make, only making Cardin ram her ass faster in anger. "Who, is my little cum slut? **Who?!** "

" _M-M-Meee,_ " Adel replied in a stuttering moan, feeling as if her ass was about to break in half by this animal of a young man, " _I-I-I'm your c-cumslut._ "

"That's **fucking** right." Cardin stated, almost growling as he spoke, still ramming his twitching, brimming cock into her asshole, feeling his pre-cum pouring out between her asshole and his dick, not letting go of her hair as her closed to ejaculating. "You're fucking mine, Coco? Do you hear me? You're my little bitch that has please me whenever I want to fuck, understand?" Coco didn't answer, instead being to busy with letting herself make more mewls, more groans, more whimpering as she felt her body tense, coming closer with climaxing for a second time

" **DO,** " thrust, " **YOU** ," thrust, " **UNDERSTAND?!** "

"Oh- _gooood. Yes,_ yes I understand!" Coco screamed, hugging the pillow at this point, with her ass quaking every time Cardin rammed into her. "Y-Y-you can use me whenever you w-w-waaaaant!" Hearing this finally made Cardin lose himself, just letting himself fall onto her back while his thrusting grew at an unruly speed, making Coco practically bawl with moans and groans, with mewls and whimpers, all combined with her body trembling and burning up in heat, panting as she felt Cardin's dick completely dominate her body. Cardin forcibly made Coco to turn her head back, allowing him to lock lips with her one more time, embracing her in a passionate kiss as he finally came into her asshole, filling her rectum to the brim, not slowing with his thrusts which in turn made Coco cum in response, moaning into his mouth with their fluids coating the blankets and sheets beneath their trembling bodies.

Cardin eventually stopped, pulling himself back from Coco and letting go of her hair, watching her fall onto his pillow, her tired dark-brown eyes just looking ahead at the wall as she gasped and wheezed, with her body twitching in aftershocks of pleasure. Sickly smiling, Cardin chose to pull his now limp cock out of her asshole slowly, hearing squishy noises while getting one more protesting mewl from the fashionista before he got it out, seeing her asshole remain gaping with some of his cum pouring out before it shrunk back to its normal size.

The Winchester then proceeded to simply fall onto his bed, landing behind Coco and wrapping his arm around her, bringing her closer to him as they both panted, their bodies both having a hard time cooling down since they were being pressed together.

"I'm... I'm glad you... you accepted your punishment... Coco..."

"This... this wasn't really a punishment..."

"... Does that mean you enjoyed it?"

"What... what do you think?" With that, Coco turned her head back enough to kiss Cardin on the cheek, successfully getting a small smile to appear on his face.

"Heh heh, thanks..."

"... You won't... tell anyone we did this, right?"

"Yeah... yeah- don't uh... worry about that. I won't tell, just as long as you tell anyone what I look like."

"I... okay. I won't."

"Thanks..."

"..."

"..."

"... Can I take a shower here? Some of the faunus might be able to-"

"-No, yeah, I get it. You can shower here."

"Cool..."

* * *

"Well, Yang, I have found you a suitable tutor just for you."

"Cool, who is it?"

"Cardin."

"..."

"... You will meet him tomorrow in the library to begin your lessons, and you will continue to meet him every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday."

"... Please no."

"... You know, Cardin was reluctant at first too. But he accepted to _help_ you, Yang, despite whatever difference you two may have. So can't you give him a chance?"

"But he's... he's just such an asshole."

"Whether that be the case, Yang, he is still your last chance, unless you're just going to take it upon yourself to study up everything you've failed on."

"..."

"Now, I do believe you have more classes to go to. So move along now."

"..."

"... Come on Yang, we got to go to Peach's soon."

"... Yeah, I'm coming Ruby..."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from RWBY**_

 ** _Chapter 5:_** ** _Penitentiary Chances, the Devil Dances..._**

 _"Fucking hold her down damnit! Hold, her, DOWN! We need this fucking bitch alive!"_

 _"UGH-Let me go you bastards! ARGH- FUCKING-"_

 _"_ _ **-SHUT UP YOU CUNT!**_ _"_

 ** _PHWACK! CRUNCH!_**

 _"_ _ **AAAAAGGGH-**_ _YOU FUCKING WHORE!"_

 _"You gonna stop resisting now, sweetie? Or am I gonna have to give my soldiers permission to fucking violate you until you talk?"_

 _"Fuck, YOU! You goddamn moonshine-chugging piece of shit!"_

 _"Hey now, we make moonshine because of our surplus in maize. That doesn't mean-"_

 _"-Sure-Shank, shut the fuck up. And you-_ _ **you!** Look at me when I'm talking to your primitive bunny ass, and listen fucking closely. If you tell us where your little White Fang pussywillow playmates are based at on Disown, we'll let you live, in prison at least." _

_"Heh heh- I'd rather die than f-fucking tell a racist monster where we're stationed at!"_

 _"Ho-oh! Racist? You hear that guys? I'm racist. But at least I don't kidnap children and give them over to my most twisted soldiers for them to **fucking** torture!"_

 _"But you fucking feed faunus humans to grimm, you let your soldiers do whatever they want to prisoners, and you consume the flesh of us and your own kind. So don't g-go and fucking think that your better than us!"_

 _"... Okay wittle wabbit, you got me. But I'm still make you talk."_

 _"What... what are you doing?"_

 ** _PHWACK!_**

 _"Talk."_

 _"FFFFUCK YOU! That- wait... what ar- **AAAAGGGGGHHH! G-GIVE ME MY FINGERS BACK!** "_

 _"FUCKING TALK NOW!"_

 _"F-F-FUCK OFF!"_

 _"Okay, fine. Pull her pants down so I can shove my sword into her asshole."_

 _"WHAT?! H-HEY! FUCKING S-S-STOP!"_

 _"Come on! Just fucking rip them off damnit!"_

 _"Ma'am! Can't you just shove it in her through her pants?!"_

 _"I don't want to miss, Sure-Shank."_

 _"S-STOP! PLEAAAASE! I-I'll talk, I'll f-fucking talk!"_

 _"Aw, that's a good wittle wabbit. Now stop your bitch-tears and tell us where the rest of the Fang are hiding at..."_

* * *

Russel stared at the clock, counting down the seconds until they'd be done with having to listen to another one of Port's stories, resting his face on his palm as he switched his gaze between the clock and the lecture hall door, watching for Cardin to return. After Port had come back in without their leader, Sky inquired of the Winchester's whereabouts, being told that he had simply gone to the bathroom after their talk, assuring them that he would be back.

That twenty-four minutes ago, and Cardin has yet to return, with at least thirty seconds remaining until the period is suppose to end.

"What's taking him so long?"

"Russel," Sky started, who with little enthusiasm was watching videos on his scroll, with one headphone out to hear what was going in the outside world, "he's probably just, you know, puking, maybe shitting. You know how long it can take for him to take a shit in the morning."

"Yeah, but-"

The bell rang throughout Beacon, cutting Port off and getting the student back up on their feet, grabbing their school supplies and heading for the door, with the three young ruffians lagging behind.

"Ah, Miss Yang, would you care to talk to me for just a minute?" Was the last thing Sky, Russel, and Dove heard before exiting the room, continuing on with what they were talking about.

"Look, just call Cardin."

"Why do _I_ have to call Cardin?" Lark shot back to Russel.

"Because you have your scroll out already."

"You know, Russel, you always act so gosh damn paranoid. Cardin's probably fine, okay? He's just taking a long shit."

"Or puke." Dove spoke up.

"Yeah, or that too. But, Russel, you can just grind my nerves sometimes with how anxious you are, okay? Just, just take some chill pills, maybe start back on Xanax again, and you'll be okaaay."

Russel, who's now peeved, retorted, "That still wouldn't fucking mean Cardin's alright."

"Okay, shut up, both of you, and we can go and check on Card-"

"-Wait," Sky interrupted Dove, opening and reading a text he had just gotten on his scroll from Cardin, "it's him. He just went back to our room to sleep the rest of day off. So there you go Rus."

Russel let his head fall back, letting out a long huff of air as they kept on walking among the students, going to their next classes. "Okay, cool, cool. He's just gonna sleep his fat ass off."

"Yeah, Russel, I just read the message. You don't need to repeat everything you hear."

Thrush almost stopped just to clock the halberdier, but restrained himself with clenching fists and glaring, drilling a hole into the side of Sky's head, which was noticed by the bluenette.

"What? It's true."

"... I can't for the day you die." All Russel got in return for that rather cruel comment was a raspberry for Sky, getting some spit on Russel's uniform, finally tipping Thrush over the edge.

"Hey, stop you two, we're here." But before Russel could do anything, Dove got in the way between his two teammates to point at the door into Peach's lecture hall, managing to stop any fight from breaking out. "Come on, l-"

"Hey fucktards." Unfortunately though, not everything Dove does can save him and his brothers from being confronted by others though.

The three young Disown men turned around to recognize a pissed female, tailed-tiger faunus behind them, Diamond Sonya, standing over all of them, almost reaching Cardin's height, her long, dark red hair tied into a ponytail. Two of her teammates behind her, one being a stoic girl with shoulder-length platinum-blond hair of an average build and fair skin, Elma, and a scrawny, glasses-wearing pale human boy, similary angered like Diamond, head shaven and legs longer than his torso, Darka who was taller than the three CRDL boys, but still shorter than the tiger faunus. The three students belonged to first-year team REDD, who's leader, Ron Mahogany, was the boy whom Cardin sent to the medical building with a single kick, before sparring with Coco.

" _Ohhhh, heeeeeyy there_ _Diamond, how's-_ "

"-Shut up Sky!" The tigress shouted, getting a lot of unwanted attention directed at the three boys. "Where's Cardin?"

"Taking a nap, he's skipping the rest of the day. Where's Ron?" Russel asked, sounding as casual as possible, as an effort to make Diamond look like a buffoon who's angry for no particular reason.

"Ron's still recovering because of that asshole you guys call Cardin."

"... Kay," Dove started, now trying to sound nonchalant too, "so why are you guys looking for Cardin?"

"To give that fat bastard a taste of his own medicine." Darka replied, getting a laugh out of Sky while Dove looked at the scrawny boy, somewhat befuddled.

"Why do do people think Cardin's fat?"

"Dove... Cardin's a little bit more pudgy than you, okay? He doesn't got abs, has _kind of_ of a muffin top, maybe, an-"

"-That doesn't mean he can't break Stick Bug over here!" Sky shouted as a circle of student surrounded the six, while he gestured over to Darka. "I mean, seriously, Cardin could just break you in half by sneezing, or _breathing,_ or **_farting_** on you. And you," Sky looked over at Elma, who still remained calm while she raised a brow at the bluenette. "... I don't know, Cardin would probably just ignore you while he pounds the asses of your friends."

"... What?" That actually got a response out of Elma though, who, just like everyone else around Sky, including Russel and Dove, were caught off-guard by the phrasing Sky chose.

"You know what Sky? Beating the hell out of you three racist, shit-stain twerps would be just as good as kicking your leader's ass." The tall faunus stated, taking a few steps towards Sky, who in repose approached her as well, his arms wide out in a welcoming manner while he disgustingly grinned, stretching his glasgow-like features.

"Take a shot then, bitch."

"Sky!" Before the bluenette could look back at an irate Russel, Diamond accepted the offer and slammed her fist into Sky's gut, getting an all-too pleasurable, hoarse groan from the halberdier as he keeled over, only to be picked up by his head by the tiger faunas, who too was now smiling just as madly as Sky.

Immediately as the first punch was thrown, Dove and Russel rushed over to gang up on Diamond, but were stopped by Elma and Darka, which proved to be an unhealthy choice for them as they were easily overpowered by the two hooligans. Dove, just as he saw Elma step in front of his way, used his momentum to deliver a headbutt that struck squarely with her face, breaking her nose and forcing the student to reel back, covering her nose as blood started to pour out, giving Dove a window of opportunity to tackle her to the ground, starting to rail on her with vicious clenched fists.

Meanwhile, Russel simply jumped over an attempted leg sweep made by Darka, proceeding to turn around and slam an elbow into the scrawny boy's cheek, cutting the skin as his glasses went flying off his face, rendering him incapable of seeing what Russel would do next due to him being far-sighted. Thrush then quickly went for Darka's right leg, managing to pull and trip the taller student while still holding onto his lanky leg, and then unleash a non-stop assault of ruthless kicks and stomps, prompting Darka to cover whatever part of his body was struck, only to cover the next area hit by Russel.

And while all of this was taking place, Sky had managed to turn the tables on Diamond, who found herself struggling to removed Sky from her back while he just held on by wrapping both his arms around her neck, squeezing tighter and tighter, effectively slowing her as she struggled, eventually getting her down to one knee at some point, all the while the rest of the students just watched on, not doing anything, or saying anything, to help either of the groups of three. They would have actually cheered the members from REDD, had it not been for the face they were demoralized by watching how easily the CRDL boys were handling the fight.

"What is going on out here?!" But fortunately for the three natives of Vale, Professor Peach had come out to check on what all the commotion was coming from, pushing students aside to see Russel, Dove and Sky stopping their smackdown on the the three, now-submissive members of REDD.

"Uh, this isn't what it looks like, profe-"

"-I want you three to head for Ozpin's office, now!"

"Aw fuck you Peach!" Sky shouted, clearly irritated by her decision. "We didn't start this fight! These three punks came and started shit up. This was self-"

"-Ozpin's office, now!" Peach stopped him, now further angered by Sky's disrespectful attitude towards her.

The halberdier threw his hands up in the air, exasperated as he left the scene, with Dove and Russel, feeling the same, following him suit, with other students stepping aside for the three young Disownians to pass through, mumbling to themselves about self-defense not being appreciated...

* * *

"This is whore shit." Dove uttered, with him, Sky, and Russel all sitting in chairs, feeling defeated, waiting in a most empty CCT system to be called up into Ozpin's office. "This is all your fault, Sky."

" _Oh, it's **my** fault?_" Sky inquired, looking over at Bronzewing with his brows raised.

"Yeah, it kind of is. If you weren't some kind of **freak** that gets off by hurting people, _and_ being hurt, then we wouldn't be here. But no, you had to go and egg them on, you had to go and get into Diamond's face, you wanted to start a fight, just so you can get off..."

"..." Sky didn't have a retort for Dove's statement, knowing how pointless and foolish it would be to try and fight back against the truth.

"... You're sick, Sky. In fact, I'm pretty sure you've caused more fights ever since we came to Beacon than Cardin has."

"... Well, yeah you're right about that, Dove. But at least I don't go and kidnap girls, at least I haven't ever cannibalized another person, at least I don't go out into Emerald Forest and does God-knows-what!"

"What he has to do at night doesn't make him a monster and you know it!"

"Oh it _doesn'_ t _?!_ He's out there, e-"

"-Guys, can you both fucking shut up?" Russel crassly asked, silencing both of his brothers and earning himself annoyed scowls from the two. "Sky, shut up, okay? You just almost shouted out about what Cardin does every night like a dumbass, because you are one man, always going and giving out your ass to be beaten. Lay off of starting the fights, okay? Just try to control yourself, like Cardin does."

"Pfft, he does a shit job at it though. I'm pretty sure he's the reason why we're here to begin with. If he hadn't kicked Ron's face in, then his own little band of misfits wouldn't have had gone looking for us to begin with."

"Okay... yeah, that may be true. But you still do cause more fights than Cardin does."

"Fucking- whatever, fine, I'll try and... not get into fights more often."

"..."

"..."

"... I'm sorry for what I said, Sky."

Dove's apology was accepted. "Yeah... I'm sorry too, bro."

"... Bro."

"Bro."

" _Bro._ "

" ** _Bro._** "

"Shut, up." Again, Russel hushed both of his brothers, growing more and more agitated as he listened to what he was positive was strangling his brain celrols to death.

" _Russel Thrush, Sky Lark, and Dove Bronzewing, you three may see Headmaster Ozpin now._ " The three got out of their seats right as they heard the voice speak over the P.A. system, entering and going up Beacon Tower within an elevator. The door opened, letting the three young men out to wander the halls of the very top floor of Beacon Tower, eventually finding and opening the door to the spacious office of Ozpin, who was already sitting down at his desk, with his mug of hot cocoa by his side as he looked up from paperwork to see the three students.

"Ah, boys, please take a seat." Ozpin said, sounding as indifferent as usual, take a sip out of his mug soon after, while the young men sat themselves in front of his desk, still feeling that them being demanded to go see Ozpin was unfair. "Now, I've heard you three got yourselves into another altercation with some of my students, this time involving members of REDD. Would any of you care to... explain what happened in detail."

Quickly, the three young men silently eyed each other until Sky nodded his head, choosing himself to speak for them. "Well... Cardin crossed Ron a couple days ago, just kicking him in the face before going to combat class. So today, after we got done with Port's class, we were just going to Peach's next until the rest of REDD confronted us, demanding to know where Cardin was so they could beat him up."

"And where is Cardin right now?"

"... Sleeping, in our room. He barely got any sleep last night because of his insomnia, again."

"Ah, I see. Please, continue on with what you were saying previously."

Ozpin took another sip of his hot chocolate as Sky did as he was told. "Well... when we told them where Cardin was, I kind of... started to egg them on, I just started insulting them. I kept on going until Diamond started punching, that's when the fight started. Peach stopped us and... sent us here."

"I see..."

"..."

"Sky, this isn't the first time I've heard of you aggravating other students into attacking you. So... why, exactly, do you do this?"

"... I... like pain, and I like giving pain. it... pleasures me. That part of me is basically why I... tend to cause fights."

"... I understand, Sky. But just because you like to... experience pain, and hurting others, doesn't mean you can go around and instigate fights bouts with other students. This little scuffle you, Russel and Dove got in today could have been prevented easily if you chose not motivate Diamond and her companions into fighting you. Do you understand what I'm saying, Sky?"

"I understand sir."

"Good, because it is the reason why I'm giving you a week of detention, starting tomorrow. Russel, Dove, you two won't be given any punishment since it sounds like both of you were unwillingly dragged into a fight." Lark restrained himself from swearing-up a storm or throwing his chair at Ozpin, while Thrush and Bronzewing held themselves back from smirking or chuckling. "You three may leave and return to your classes now."

They complied to Ozpin's request, with Sky being the first to leave the room as he pressed his fingernails up against the skin of his palm, being followed by Dove and Russel, the latter shutting the door behind them, then bringing his gaze back to a now-sulking halberdier, looking as if her was about to punch a whole into the wall.

"You okay, man?"

"No, Russel, I'm not okay; this is injustice. I'm given detention while you two and Cardin ar-"

"-Sky, Sky, I don't care if you are okay or not. I was asking just to be nice." Russel's admittance only added fuel to the fire inside Lark, as he listened to Dove laugh at the cruel statement made by his brother. "Come on, let's get back to class." Thrush and Bronzewing walked ahead of a Lark who just stood there for a few seconds, feeling himself ready to explode with rage. But he instead took a deep breath, and exhaled, letting go his bubbling ire and accepting his fate, moving with catching up with his friends...

* * *

After having gone through rest of the day without meeting any more students looking for trouble, Sky, Russel, and Dove all headed for their room first thing after the school day's end, looking to rest themselves until it was time for dinner. When they reached and entered their dorm room, Cardin was sprawled out on his bed, still in his uniform, simply staring up at the ceiling with the T.V. on, and his black, red-lined poncho and gloves removed, bringing his head up to see his teammates having just come in.

"Hello."

"I thought you said you were getting sleep."

"I was." Cardin replied to Dove, sitting up in his bed, stretching his neck until he got a good pop. "I came here, slept, woke up, and watched T.V. for the rest of the day."

"You're a fat piece of crap, Cardin." Sky incredulously informed his leader, sitting down in his own bed and taking off his shoes.

"Love you too, babe." Cardin gave him a few air kisses after his comment, somewhat disgusting the bluenette.

"He didn't mean it, Cardin.-"

"-Yes I did.-"

"-He's just miffed today because he got detention."

Cardin inquired of Russel. "Why?"

"Ron's teammates were looking for you today, wanting to beat you down like a mule for what you did to him. But instead Sky egged them on to the point that they started fighting us instead. Peach broke it up, sent us to Ozpin, Sky told him what happened, and gave him a week of detention for instigating another fight."

"Pffffft." Was all Cardin had to say to that, looking back at Sky to see him already laying in his bed, watching the show that Cardin had on. "Sorry man."

"Yeah, whatever, it sucks monkey fuck." Cardin nodded in agreement.

Dove then brought up another subject, asking Cardin, "Hey, what was it that Port wanted to talk with you about."

"He asked me if I wanted to tutor Yang, and I said yeah to it."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"... Why would you say yes?"

"Well, Dove, I said yes because... welp, I felt like it'd be a great way to help mend wounds with her, ya know. It'd be nice if she didn't hate me for the next four years of Beacon."

"Are you sure it's a good idea though? I mean... it does sound good, don't get it twisted, but... what I mean is that do you think it'll work?"

"... I hope so. If it doesn't then, hey, I still get extra credit."

"Are you sure you can even do it?" Russel asked. "Can you even tutor her properly without falling asleep."

"Yeah."

"And you won't get violent with her if she starts annoying you?"

"... Yeah."

"I don't like that delay, Cardin."

"I don't like your mohawk."

"Fuck you."

"NO! I only like attractive men who don't look like the jerky I eat!"

"... I want to fucking throttle you."

"..." Just like Sky, Cardin proceeded to give Russel a few air kisses too, disgusting him just like how they disgusted Sky.

* * *

"Ziz, madam."

"What- what is it, Richard? I'm fucking tired."

"I know, ma'am, but I have with me a request from several individuals and groups, including... me, actually, the Lancelet Builder's League."

"What? What does Lancelet want? What do _these **PEOPLE**_ want this time? Like I haven't given them e-fucking-nough already."

"It... well, it's more of a proposed plan really, to build an huntsmen academy here."

"... Why?"

"Why?"

"Why do they want to build an academy here? Why do _want_ an academy here on Disown?"

"Well... there a few reasons. One is that it'll provide more jobs to construction workers, architects, and electricians. Second is that it'll bring us closer to gaining independence.-"

"-Will it? Really? Will wasting resources on a fucking academy help us becoming our own kingdom?"

"It isn't like your doing anything else that'll help us gain independence."

"... Are you fucking kidding me? I'm practically building us an army each fucking night, going out there to Dion's fucking cesspool he calls home, and Cardin's doing the same out there in Vale too. Hell, ten years ago I probably could have started another war with our army back then to fight for becoming our own goddamn nation! Don't **you** fucking tell _**me**_ I'm not doing anything to help us with getting out of this shit deal with Vale!"

"..."

"..."

"... I... apologize, Ziz. Just... please hear me out on this."

"... Fine, fine, fuck-ing fine. What else would we get from building an academy?"

"We would... also be getting our own Cross Continental Transmit System, which you and I both know would benefit Disown greatly."

"Fucking- really? Atlas agreed to giving us a motherfucking CC-FUCKING-T System finally? After all these years of us asking for one?"

"Only if we build this academy, though, which we need your permission to do so."

"Okay, fuck yeah, build the damn thing."

"Wonderful, ma'am, I'll inform everyone about this new and... hopefully we'll begin construction as soon as possible."

"Ye- wait. I don't... have to be the headmistress, right?"

"No, Ziz, you don't. We already have several hunters, huntresses, and other individuals who will fill the roles of faculty."

"Ahh- thank you God."

"Yes, well... goodnight, Ziz."

"You too, Dick."

"..."

"... What?"


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_ ** _: If I Get Too High Now Sugar Come On, I Might Never Come Down..._**

 _"She's waking up."_

 _"She is? Ziz?"_

 _"L... Lagune..."_

 _"Ziz, don't sit up, relax."_

 _"Lagune, where's... where-"_

 _"The baby's fine, here, you can hold him."  
_

 _"Haaaa... haaa- o-oh my God. He's... he's so big."_

 _"Heh, yeah, they're saying it was the biggest baby they ever seen, weighing at 10.4 pounds."_

 _"Pfheh, he's my... our little fatty. Our big ol' baby boy."_

 _"Yeah, yeah..."_

 _"Cardin."_

 _"What?"_

 _"That's his name, Cardin Winchester."_

 _"Ziz, you already came up with a name?"_

 _"Yeah, what about it?"_

 _"Well, it's ju-"_

 _"-You don't like it? HE came out of me, Lagune, I should get to name him."_

 _"Ha ha, okay, okay sweetie. I wasn't saying I don't like it, I was just surprised you could come up with a name so fast."_

 _"Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you that I already came up with names."_

 _"Hm..."_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"... Lagune."_

 _"Yes?"_

 _"What are we going... to do now? Where do we keep Cardin when we start?"_

 _"Don't worry about that, we have two hunters to keep him safe. Richard, and Sure-Shank."_

 _"Oh, goo..."_

 _"... Ziz?"_

 _"Sure-Shank? You're trusting someone called Sure-Shank to keep our baby safe?"_

 _"I know it's not a pretty name, but he can be trusted."_

 _"Uh-huh, yeah, you better hope he can, and what about this Richard?"_

 _"The same goes for him. If you weren't even here on this island, he'd probably be the toughest huntsmen on this island."_

 _"Where are they going to keep him though?"_

 _"We have that figured out too, Ziz, don't worry about it, we found an abandoned mansion that'll be safe for them and a few dozen prisoners to keep guard of Cardin."_

 _"You didn't say... fu- fine, okay, that sounds... good."_

 _"Yes... yes..."_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"... He has your hair, you know."_

 _"Yeah, I noticed. But everything else about this wittle guy came from you."_

 _"Heh heh, his little claws are cute..."_

* * *

"Hey, hey..."

"..."

"... Psst, Yang, YANG, wake up."

"I am up, Ruby." Yang shouted, muffled due to having her face shoved into her own pillow.

"Oh, good, so..."

"Soooo... what?"

"Yang," Blake started, stopping Ruby from saying what it was she was going to say, "it's been twenty minutes since we got back to our room. You need to go now or Cardin might leave."

"Ugh-I knooow, I know, it's just... why does it have to be that bastard? Why Cardin? Why couldn't Port just get Pyrrha to tutor me, or just... anyone else, _anyone_ who isn't that jackass?"

Ruby, somewhat sheepishly, replied to her big sister, stating, "Yang, I... look, don't let whatever he did in the past bother you, okay? That doesn't mean you have to approve what he did. Just... ignore all of it, and you can make it through."

Yang brought her head up to look at her little sister, visibly shocked by what she heard. "How can you just be okay with saying that?" She asked.

"I'm not okay with saying that, but... you really don't have anymore options, Yang, other than trying to... tutor yourself. Which- and no hard feelings- I'm sure you... can't really do at this point." There was just silence that followed Ruby's statement, leaving the three members of RWBY to wait for Yang to only sigh, accepting her fate of relying on Cardin to teach everything she needs to know to pass Port's class. She was already having a difficult time in that class by herself, choosing to continue out without a tutor would be a suicide in terms of passing the first year.

"Yeah... you're right, Cardin... I guess he's... egh- my last choice, isn't he?" Yang inquired to no one in particular, getting out of her bed and picking up her notebook used specifically for grimm studies. "Unless..."

She looked over at Weiss, who only stared back at her, raising one of her pale brows in question, yet already knowing what Yang could be thinking of. "You want me to tutor you, instead of having Cardin do it, right?" Yang didn't say anything, only giving the small heiress a small grin instead. "If that's the case Yang, then no." Then her grin dissipated.

"But why?!"

"Yang, you already have a tutor, which again, is Cardin. You don't need a replacement if you haven't even had a session with him yet. Besides..." Weiss felt a warmth of small envy fill her up. "He's probably a better choice than... me. It's like that brute was raised by grimm; he's basically the most well-educated here at Beacon when it comes to knowing... well, _everything_ there is to know about grimm. Port essentially praises him everyday he's in his class, so, again, I believe Cardin is the best option for you, Yang."

Hearing Weiss admit someone was better than her when it came to school was an alien thing to listen to for the three girls, something that Yang would be bellowing in laughter about. But in this case, no one was even quietly giggling, due to knowing how right the Schnee girl was right.

Yang, now accepting her fate once again, slowly nodded her head, understanding Weiss' reasoning. "Okay, okay... then I'll be going I guess." She opened their dorm room door, saying "bye" before reaching for the doorknob, stopping when someone started knocking from the other side.

"Hello? You in there, Yang?" Upon hearing Cardin's voice, the blonde let her head fall back, huffing out air before reaching for the knob again, twisting and opening the door, intentionally hitting Cardin as she pushed, who let out an "oof" while moving back for Yang to fully open the door, seeing her with notebook in hand, barely glaring at him, which he didn't even notice while she shut the door behind her. "Oh cool, you are. I got tired of waiting so I came here for you. Are you ready?"

"... Yeah, I'm ready." Yang replied to the hooded behemoth in front of her, sounding a bit disheartened, which Cardin was able to distinguish in her tone.

"What's wrong? If you don't want to do this in the library then we can always do it in my room." His alternative choice of their spot to study did little to appeal to Yang, who would have rather chose to be stuck in a room with Remnant's most vile and violent grimm, rather than be alone with Cardin, or god forbid his whole team.

"Ugh- no no, the library is fine, _Cardin._ I-"

"-Or if you want, we could study in your room. I wouldn't mind either way."

The brawler interrupted Cardin, snarling as she said, "Cardin, the library is **fine** , okay?"

"... Okay." The Winchester answered in a hushed tone as an effort to calm Yang down, who indeed did feel a bit of agitated weight lift from her shoulders after hearing Cardin speak in such a manner. "So then... let's go now." Yang quietly, and slowly, nodded her head in agreement, her violet eyes wandering a bit to the floor as Cardin started walking, prompting her to follow behind him.

The two trotted without speaking with each other, Yang still choosing to stay behind the young man as he lead her to the library. Cardin of course cared little about this for it did little to bother him, though he did look back occasionally to check if Yang was lagging behind, never meeting her gaze directly, somewhat stimulating his worry now, though not enough to stop him from waving it off.

Eventually the duo of Xiao Long and Winchester reached the library, and as usual, the majority of was being used for things other than studying, with almost all of the students being a tad louder than acceptable volume, but it easily ignored by Cardin and Yang. One thing that Cardin did not ignore though was the fact that the books he planned on using with tutoring Yang were now at a table that was occupied by a team- ABRN if he remembered correctly- who, just like almost everyone else, weren't using the library properly. At least that's how Cardin perceived it.

Now he could just let it go and retrieve the books back from the table and find a new one for himself and Yang, or he could comply to his irrational side and be confrontational about this. He could drive them away from the table and take it back for his own usage, but Cardin's ability to reason told him how easier it would be just to bring the books back to a different table, rather than start another fight.

So Cardin told Yang to, "Go and sit over there," pointing at an empty table, "I'll get us the books we'll need." Yang did as she was told, going over and sitting at the table he directed her to. She sat there and watched Cardin, who already mystified her as she witnessed him walk over to the table occupied by ABRN, who were visibly disturbed and irritated by his presence. The blonde kept on watching as he picked up a stack of books from their table, without saying a word or even acknowledging them, and would have walked away if hadn't been for Bolin saying something to him.

Yang did not hear what he said specifically, but she knew he said something that clearly offended Cardin because the crass giant turned heel and decked the Haven student out of his chair, knocking the young man out cold while the rest of ABRN got out of their chairs, Reese and Nadir rushing to aid Bolin. While Arslan got into Cardin's face, looking ready to tear him apart while he looked amused by her audacity to stop him.

But suddenly, while almost all of the students around him now had their eyes on him, Cardin's mood changed as he violently grabbed the blond girl by the neck, holding on tight enough to give her a severe sense of suffocation while he brought her up to his hooded face. What followed though was what Yang could only assume was Cardin verbally digging into Arslan, softly whispering into her ears while she took wheezing breaths and tears dripped from her cheeks.

This verbal lashing lasted only about thirty seconds until Cardin released the Haven student, letting her fall and crumple onto the floor, gratefully gasping with Cardin looming over her for a moment before heading back to the table, where Yang sat, looking unfazed from what she just watched. She had observed Cardin, and his teammates, act like this so commonly that she had gotten used to seeing it. But that didn't mean she was not disgusted by their barbaric behaviors though.

"Okay," Cardin let out in a breath, clumsily falling into a chair across from Yang and setting the books down in between them, "let's get started. Now, Port said we should first work on the grimm that were on the last test we took, so first we'll re-"

"- Seriously? You're going to start tutoring me as if nothing happened? You just attacked ABRN, Cardin, right in front of me."

"... And?" Yang sat there in silence for a few seconds before sighing, rubbing her brow while Cardin kept on waiting for a response, until he decided ask, "Do you want to know why I did it?"

"... I-I don't know- why? What reason do you have for feeling justified for cheap-shotting what's-his-face, then man-handling their leader?"

"Okay, well, first of all, their names are Bolin and Arslan. Secondly..."

"..."

"Bolin... asked me when is Dove gonna take his last breath. I... I don't why he would ask such a thing, what called for it, but it..." Cardin flashed a snarl in an instant, almost being missed by Yang but she managed to catch sight of his fury almost getting the best of him. " _ **It...**_ it... pissed me off. Dove... my whole team, I love them. We've all been friends ever since I was like... three. But..." Cardin went quiet, feeling wary about what he was going to say, but still went through with it, making sure to be careful about what words to leave out this time.

"I haven't told a lot of people here about this, Yang, but... Russel, Dove, Sky, they're my adopted brothers, its been that way since we were little kids. When their... parents died, my mom adopted them one-by-one so that we wouldn't be separated from each other." Yang was not anticipating to hear such news to come out of Cardin's mouth, now getting a better understanding of why Cardin would harm Bolin in the first place. "So when I heard Bolin... _mockingly_ ask when Dove's gonna die, I lost it and struck him down." He leaned forwards, lifting his head up a bit higher to look Yang in her eyes with his own. "Tell me, tell me that you wouldn't do the same if Bolin did the same to you. Tell me you wouldn't knock that jackass out if he asked that same thing about Ruby."

"..."

"..."

"... I'd want to, Cardin, but..."

"But what?"

"... You can't just go around hurting people because they-"

"-You'd do it if it was **me** asking it." The tension between the two was palpable after that statement, Yang breathing deeply as she felt the sense of impending doom, expecting Cardin to lunge at her, wrapping his teeth around her neck like he did to Coco and not letting ago until she begged him to stop. Fortunately, he managed to dissipate the atmosphere between them by apologizing. "Sorry, sorry, I don't mean to make you feel anxious or anything. I'm just... just mad. Forget I said that and... let's start tutoring, okay?"

"... Okay." Yang replied, gently nodding as something horrifying rose up behind her, a sight Cardin hadn't seen in a long time. It looked like a human male, naked, just as large as him, but with its skin being made of gums and covered in yellow, deformed teeth, from head to toe, growing out of its skin, that had clumps of red-orange hair squeezed between the molars and canines, while his eyes were golden with pure black pupils.

But like with all hallucinations caused by his sleep deprivation, Cardin blinked once and it disappeared, leaving him to be in peace with tutoring Yang.

"Oookay, let's start with the creeps..."

* * *

"So, that's him?"

"Yeah, that's Cardin."

"What is he wearing?"

"That's a poncho, Emerald. You never seen one before?"

"No, yeah, I have seen them- I meant to ask why he's wearing it?"

"I dunno, he probably likes it. Is there something wrong with that?"

"No, no, I don't give a crap about what he wears. It's just... you smell it too, right?"

"Oh no, yeah I can smell it. It might be him though."

"There's no fucking way its him, it has to be the poncho. No one can just walk around smelling like that themselves and not notice it."

"Well then don't you think he knows its his poncho instead?"

"I- Okay, you know what? Forget it. Let's just talk about what to do with him."

"Oh, yeah, Cinder told us to avoid him."

"... What?"

"Avoid him. Or just don't go and irritate him to the point that he starts a fight with us."

"What the hell? Why doesn't she want us to go near him? Does she think we can't handle him?"

"... Yeah... yeah, I actually asked Cinder why she doesn't want us to go near him until she, and Neo, come to Beacon. And she said it's because we won't be able to take him down in a fight."

"Are you fucking- I could totally destroy that oath in a fight!"

"And I'm sure... you'll get destroyed yourself. BUT, but, it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. We won't even be going near him until we start the attack. Hell, I asked Cinder what we're going to do with him, and she said not a damn thing."

"... But... so what? Salem doesn't want him?"

"Apparently, she has other plans of what to do with him and his mom. But until then, we'll have to follow her orders as told.

"..."

"..."

"... What if..."

"What?"

"Well, I have a couple of idea of how to deal with him."

"Emerald-"

"-No, look, what if we..."

"..."

"... No, no- never mind. It wouldn't work..."

* * *

"Ugh, look at all of this. The damn woman should be dead from alcohol poisoning by now."

"Do you want me to clean this up, Richard?"

"No, no Sure-Shank, I can... gah, my loafers are gonna be all sticky now- Sure-Shank, just go find Ziz, and tell her the news. This is going to take me a fucking hour "

"Okay..."

"..."

"..."

"... Ziz? Ziz, Ziz wake up."

"Mmmmph, geeehh... who... heh-heh, _heeeyy_ Sure Shank. Whats... whats you want?"

"Oh, you're still drunk."

"Yeeaahh, stiiilll... drunk..."

"I had important news to tell you. But we better wait until your sober."

"Well, if that's the case, then I have some important _news_ to tell you too."

"What is it?

"I, want, to, fuck."

"Oh..."

"..."

"... Okay. Is there... a-anything you want me to- GAH! ZIZ!"

"I want to **fuck,** Sure-Shank!"

"Yes, I know! Just get off me!"

"But I want to fuck you damnit!"

"N-No! This is wrong! This is just you being drunk, I-I-"

"-You stupid, fucking, cock-mongrel! I was faking it! God- why are you so fucking dense?"

"What? But-"

"-Shut up! Okay? Listen closely, fuckface. It has been three, **three** , years ever since I boned anyone, Sure-Shank. And you... heh-heh-ha- you, YOU owe me."

"What the hell do you me-"

"-If it wasn't for me, you'd still be mining against your will. If it wasn't for _me,_ you'd still have to sleep every night on some filthy, puss-ridden cot, probably crying your pathetic life to sleep. If it wasn't for _**me**_ , you'd probably be dead right now, hanging by a fucking noose out in the gardens, or riddled with bullets from a firing squad!"

"..."

"... And just in case, you little, UNGRATEFUL, shit, don't think you owe me after hearing what I just said, then let me remind you of this: I am your leader. I am the Baroness of Disown. If you do not comply with what I desire from you, Sure-Shank, then I will personally feed sodomize you every night, until the day you f-u-c-k-i-n-g die. Understand?"

"... Okay..."

"Okay? Does that mean you're gonna be a good boy and serve your Baroness just this once, with this fear-boner I'm feeling right now?"

"... Y-Yes."

"Good, good. Don't worry, Sure-Shank, this won't be as bad as you might think..."

* * *

"Alright, I thiiink... we are done here."

"Are we?"

"Well... we just spent an... jeez- - like an hour-and-a-half tutoring. I think we covered enough for today." Cardin exclaimed, closing the book he was currently using in front of him and getting out of his chair. "You got everything written down, right?"

"Yeah, yeah." Yang replied, just finishing up with a few last notes in her notebook while Cardin gathered up rest of the books on Creeps.

"Cool, then I guess I'll see you Monday then, right here again." Cardin.

"Okay."

"A'ight, then... bye." Spoke Cardin before he left Yang alone to finish her notes, walking off among the halls of bookcases as she closed her notebook and left for the door.

She had to admit it: despite Cardin getting into a scuffle with ABRN and staring at something that she couldn't see, the rest of the tutoring session went pretty well. The young ruffian was able to keep her attention- unlike Port who loses half of his students whenever he starts talking about one of his many adventures- and describe the behavior and anatomy of Creeps in a simplistic way that helped Yang understand everything there was to know. Overall, Yang was starting to feel as if this will work out after all, even if Cardin occasionally acts like a bastard.

As Cardin walked among the aisles of biographies, autobiographies, recorded history, stories and encyclopedias, putting away each one of the books he used away, he couldn't help but think of that false creature he saw today. It was again, an event he had gotten used to seeing every six months or so, thanks to his accursed sleep deprivation, but that does not mean it didn't leave an imprint in his mind every time he had one. Seeing what he decided was suppose to be him but with teeth for skin definitely burned his thoughts, making sure it'd stay there forever along with every sinister hallucination he had.

But it still did not bother him much. the only way it could do that is if Yang looked back and was able to see it too. In a way then, Cardin guessed he did have a fear for them, it being that one day, one of these illusions created before him will be real.

All this pondering of his hallucinations, along with not knowing what was behind him while he put the last book away, made Cardin's heart drop to his stomach when he felt a pair of arms drape over and wrap themselves around his chest.

"Hey there, Cardin." But he thanked God that it was just Coco greeting him with a sultry voice warming his leather hood. But then that gratitude turned into befuddlement, wondering why the hell Coco was doing this.

"Why are you doing this?" He even asked her with the same words, now confusing her a bit too while he brushed her arms off and turned around, looking down into her aviator-covered eyes.

"Excuse me? Why am I... I was just saying hi, Cardin."

"Hi? That's a real sensual way to say _hi,_ Coco. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind you touching me like that, it's just that... don't you hate me?"

"What?" Coco felt only more confusion by his next question, starting to think Cardin just forgot what they did together just yesterday. "Why would you ask that?"

"Because all we did was have sex, that's it. It's not like that changed me or anything."

"..."

"I'm still Cardin, okay? I'm still the most hated student at this school, and there's a reason for that. Hell, just today I knocked out a student for offending me."

"Well... why did you do that? What did he say?"

"... He asked me when Dove was gonna die, mockingly."

"Then it sounds like you were doing the right thing... kind of. If someone asked the same thing to me about any of my teammates, I would definitely knock them out too."

"Yeah- but that still doesn't mean I didn't change. I'm still... still a bastard. Even if I've been holding myself back from harassing other students, that doesn't mean I changing."

"... Well, you wanna know something?"

"... What?"

"I don't _care_ what you are." With that, Coco stood on her toes to go us and peck Cardin on his lips, getting no visible reaction out of him, while his insides were going warm. "In fact, I disagree with what you're saying. Don't you think trying not to bully or hurt people who don't deserve it is a clear sign of you trying to make yourself a different person."

"..."

"..."

"... I don't like being corrected." His statement got a small giggle out of Coco, the corners of her lips lifting up a bit as she gave him another smooch, now getting him to smile in her manner too. "this doesn't mean you're doing all of this just for the sex though, right?"

"No, Cardin, I'm not saying all of this just for the sex."

"But you're doing this after we had sex though, after I basically made you have sex with me though. And even then, you still did everything you can to make sure no one knew we had sex in the fi-"

"-Hey... shut the fuck up, okay?"

"... Okay." Cardin muttered softly with a saddened tone.

"I mean, here I am, willingly putting everything I EVER thought about you aside, practically admitting that I like you now, and you're still acting skeptical. So listen closely: I don't care if this is all happening after what we did yesterday, I don't care what you are, and I don't care about what you've done. All that matters to me is that you're making an effort to change, and I'm giving you a chance to do so. Okay?"

"..."

"Cardin?"

"... No... no- Coco. I... I don't want a chance with you, okay? It's not because I think you're not pretty, or because I think you aren't a great... person. It's just that I can't... I can't get caught-up with relationships like this, not now in my life..."

"..."

"May be one day I'll be able to give you a chance, Coco, but not now. There's too much stopping me from just having a girlfriend."

"... What is it?" Coco asked, her teeth somewhat grinding against each other when she inquired Cardin. "What is it that's holding you back?"

And Cardin replied, with little to no emotion in his tone, saying,"... I can't tell you... Not now at least. But until then, we can still be friends if you like. Or aq... ac? Ac... acquaintances. Okay?" She felt deflated emotionally, but still respected Cardin's wishes, quietly nodding her head with a minute frown that went unnoticed by Cardin. "Good. Well... see you later."

He walked away on that, leaving Coco to stand there and accept what happened. He did look back to see her, and that hallucination standing behind her, forcing Cardin to shake his head and wince before looking back to where he was walking...

* * *

"Hey guys." Was the simple greet that Yang gave to her teammates, and JNPR, both having been in the dining hall eating dinner.

"Hi Yang, how did it go?" Ruby asked her sister as she sat herself down next to her little sister, placing her notebook to the side and her tray in front of her.

"It was... it was fine. Cardin's better than I thought he'd be."

"... What?" Jaune asked, which he might as well had been doing for the rest of his team.

"I got Cardin as a tutor for Grimm Studies, Jaune. I just got done with our first session, which like I said, went fine." Jaune gave a silent _"oh"_ in response to her answer. Yang purposefully left out what happened between him and ABRN though, feeling like it had no reason to be brought up with her friends. "He even shared with me some personal stories about his childhood."

"...Like what?"

Yang answered her little sister, responding with, "Well... it wasn't a story actually. He just told that his whole team are his adopted brothers. It turns out... well, their parents dies when they just little kids, so Cardin's mom decided to adopt them so that they could still stay together..." Yang trailed off, with her out-of-nowhere statement letting a heavy drape of shock fall on everyone at the table, except for Ruby, who waited, listening if Yang mentioned anything about them being from Disown.

"Huh, that's rough, but... also nice at the same time." Pyrrha looked over at Jaune, clearly shocked by what he had just said, which prompted him to reiterate. "I-I-I didn't mean like that! I meant it's nice that his mom adopted them so that they wouldn't be separated."

"Oh, sorry." His redheaded teammate replied, bringing her gaze back at Yang before asking. "Was that... all he shared with you?"

"Yeah, that was pretty much it..." Yang's reply was a confirmation to Ruby, presuming that he purposefully left out anything about being from Disown, unless her older sister was leaving that out, or had just forgotten about it. Whatever the situation was, it made Ruby feel comfortable with sharing what she found out about Cardin yesterday, since it had nothing to do with Disown either.

"... Yesterday, I learned something about Cardin too."

"Oh, what?" Xiao Long inquired, bringing her attention towards her little sister.

"I asked Cardin's... brothers about why he's sleeping so much during the day, and it turns out he has insomnia. He got it from restless leg syndrome, and his body temperature being high for an average person. Dove told me Cardin's insomnia usually prevents him from sleeping around midnight, and even then, he'll wake up early in the morning and can't go to sleep after that..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"... I... I kind of feel bad for Cardin now. His whole team really." Jaune's statement actually got Nora and Ren to silently nod their heads in agreement, both of them easily sympathizing with the unfortunates past of Russel, Dove and Sky, while also feeling pity for Cardin's condition.

Everyone at the table felt varying levels of condolences for them in actuality, even if they act unruly from time to time.

"But... don't tell Cardin that we know anything though. I think us telling Cardin things we know about him when he hasn't even told us about it would... probably put him on edge..." Ruby's warning also received silent agreement from everyone at the table...


	7. Chapter 7

_"Alright boys, today will be our first day of training. Fortunately, due to special circumstances, you four little shit-nuggets will only be training with me, since I can't trust any of you to fucking behave yourselves at a combat school. But don't worry because I, along with Richard and Sure-Shank, are going to teach you boys some high-level shit that those schools for primitives don't teach you."_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"Now before we begin, do any of you little malformed freaks have any questions?"_

 _"..."_

 _"Yes, Dove?"_

 _"Do we get weapons?"_

 _"Oh shit- yeah, yeah, I forgot. Sure-Shank, go get their weapons."_

 _"Yes Ziz."_

 _"What? Wait, we don't get to make our own weapons?"_

 _"Well... no, Russel, you don't. It's mostly because we've just opened our combat schools like, three fucking days ago, and the resources we used up making those damn facilities put us in a tight-situation where we chose to accept Vale to give weapons to us. Alternatively we could have focused on making weapons instead while Vale built weapons instead, but I said fuck it and chose to build the schools instead."_

 _"... Okay."_

 _"Yeah, yeah, whatever Russel. Oh and the thing is for you boys, we didn't even make your weapons, they're basically from huntsmen who died during the war. In fact, Cardin,your weapon is- once belonged to Lagune."  
_

 _"... Cool."_

 _"... Little unappreciative fucking shit- anyways, uh... I guess we can wait until Sure-Shank come back..."_

 _"..."_

 _"What, Sky?"_

 _"Why can't we go to a combat school?"_

 _"I just said the reason why: I'm not sending any of you to a combat school because I can't trust any of you asses to behave."_

 _"That's not fair though! You're-"_

 _"-Another reason though is because we live thirty-three miles away from the nearest combat school. Okay? If it wasn't for that then I would actually let you boys go to one."_

 _"... Okay. So then why didn't you say that instead of telling us you don't trust us to behave?"_

 _"... Asking questions like those Sky will get you another black eye, boy, understand?"_

 _"..."_

 _"... Sky."_

 _"Fuck you."_

 _"... That's it you little cunt. I'm-"_

 _"Ziz!"_

 _"What?!"_

 _"ZIZ!"_

 _"WHAT IS IT?!"_

* * *

"Ziz? Ziz, ma'am, wake up!"

The leader of Disown, disgruntled from having been awoken from her sleep at what her alarm clock read as 6:23 A.M., growled as she felt an overwhelming urge to just break down her door and murder Richard as he shouted for her behind the door.

"What the fuck is it you jackass?!" But she instead blasted at the man, who still jumped back despite not even being in the same room with her. "Well?!"

Richard answered her as he heard stomping heading for the door, replying with, "The airship is coming in seven minutes, Ziz, have you even properly equipped yourself yet?" She stopped after hearing his reason, scrunching her face up in anger while she gripped her inhumanly long, light-brown hair, before letting loose with a series of swears.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP EARLIER?!"

"I-I tried to, Baroness, and I presumed you had had waken up when I knock-"

"-SHUT UP! FUCKING HELL- Okay, okay hold on, I-I'll be right out." Ziz quickly stripped herself of her pajama bottoms and tank-top, still cursing to herself as she threw open the door to her bedroom's bathroom. The disheveled dictator twisted the knobs in her shower, cleansing herself of the filth she normally accumulates at night, brushed her razor-like teeth, and adorned her attire. Ziz went on with opening her bedroom door, finding no one there for her to push out of the way as she move on and tripped down the stair, letting loose another storm of vulgar language as she hit the last staircase.

It did little to faze her though, leaving Ziz to just get up and brush off her armored-dress. She proceeded to head for the large, chipping wooden double-set of doors and pushed them open, screeching and scraping against the porch of her ancient mansion, claimed as a prize after slaughtering one of the many wardens on Disown, that sat in the middle of a rustic field of wheat, covered in drops from a recent storm, with the edge entering into a now-dead forest of black and white broken trees, scorched from fire, with aged soot covering the forest floor.

From her mansion was a wide path, mowed for vehicles to drive on, that also split off and led to a crude, man-made landing pad, suited for an airship that had just landed, opened and silent with Richard and Sure-Shank waiting for the terrible human that was Ziz, who walked with agitation for having to check on this discovery again.

"I believe this is the fastest Ziz had ever gotten ready for anything in her life."

"Wow cool." Sure-Shank replied to Richard, not caring for what the old man said, which he was able to pick up on easily.

He didn't say another word until Ziz made it to the airship with a permanent scowl etched on her face as she walked pass the two old hunters, who followed her as the ship closed its door. In it she found more damaged men and women, all of them unstable to different degrees, and just as dangerous as Richard and Sure-Shank. They were her "bodyguards", a notion she found ridiculous due to believing just her, Richard and Sure-Shank would be enough to keep her safe. But Richard's constant insistence of having them after the war was finished broke her mentally, forcing Ziz to finally agree to having them.

"We could have told the pilot to wait for you ma'am, you didn't need rush-"

"-Sure-Shank, Sure-Shank... j-just shut up, okay? Shut your fuckin' pussy-licker and let me rest up for the trip." He, and Richard, and everyone else, blanched at Ziz's remark, who forced her protectors to move without her even touching them, and roughly fell onto one of the seat, rubbing her eyelids as the airship came to life...

* * *

In Emerald Forest, out among the youthful trees, lying on blades of green, hidden too deep within the thicket to be monitored by anyone, was Cardin. He slept, wearing nothing but a white t-shirt, blue pajamas with red, vertical stripes, large gray slippers, his black, red-lined poncho and leather gloves, all stained and ruined by mud and grass stains, all the while covered by a brown, torn-up sack, acting as a temporary blanket.

The young man had remained in the forest for some time now, like he usually does ever since he had arrived to Beacon, but rarely has he ever been exhausted by his covert-activities so much that he fell asleep. But with it having happened in the past, Cardin was not startled when he yawned and slowly opened his golden eyes to see nothing but the natural canopy, feeling the fresh air cool his body as he rose up into a sitting position, stretching his back, his arms, and his legs.

Cardin hissed though, frustrated that he ended up here yet again, shaking his head as well in disapproval. He threw aside the sack that covered him and pushed against the grass to standup. He took a moment to look at his clothes, growing more irritable from seeing the mess he was in, but soon pushed his anger out when he said, "fuck it," deciding that this was like the best outcome for him falling asleep in the middle of Emerald Forest. Though Cardin knew there nothing in this forest that could threaten him, including the grimm.

Thinking of them, Cardin drew his attention to casually searching his surroundings for any of them, yet only found their footprints, taking note of the direction the grimm traveled as a sign that the opposite direction was where Beacon was, or he hoped at least. If Cardin has his scroll with him, then he could use it to guide him back to the academy. But he doesn't take that thing with him at night however, because of his belief that Ozpin can track students by their scrolls, thus his reason for never taking it with him when he traveled into the forest at night.

So Cardin, using the tracks as a sign, started walking in the opposite direction, his footsteps crushing fallen, dark-green leafs and blades of grass. He went his way with a sense of peace, taking in the sounds of the wild as a soothing symphony as his gaze wandered about, looking for any indication that this was the right choice. Lo and behold, Cardin found one, much to his relief after having wandered for an amount of time unknown to him.

Cardin found himself exiting Emerald Forest to end up at the cliffside of Beacon, slowing himself as he walked to the very edge to take in the view. It was all unimpressive to him really. Every night, after he'd finish tasks, Cardin would always find himself walking along the cliffside, seeing the view it offered so many times that he grew sick of it.

Anyhow, Cardin could tell that it was far after morning, probably even a bit after noon, maybe even around his second, or last period, and Beacon was quite a ways away from his location. And with today being Thursday, Cardin broke into a sprint in order to reach the academy before he misses any more of the day. He wasn't doing it for the classes though, he was doing it just so he can reunite with his brothers. he thought they must be worried sick, thinking of what could have possibly happened to him.

Unfortunately, Cardin stopped when he felt a pang of intense hunger take control of him, stopping to clutch his stomach as his knees grew weak, forcing him to fall down while still clutching his moaning stomach. It made no sense to him, how could this be happening to him after he had eaten so much last night? Cardin didn't bother to ponder on the thought for long however, he could barely think at all when he looked up to see a doe, having left the forest too, standing still as a statue as she stared at the massive student.

That long, strong, thick tongue of his licked chapped lips at the thought of ripper her apart, and with no one around, Cardin let himself get taken over by a feral force.

He charged right at the mammal, prompting the doe to turn and be slammed by the massive weight of Cardin, having already reached her before she could even take a few steps. Ribs cracked as the doe let out a cry of pain, flying off for a good nine or ten feet before taking a crash landing, further breaking her while Cardin quickly rushed to her side, huffing and puffing like a beowolf or boarbatusk, relishing the thought of claiming his prize.

When he neared her, Cardin lunged and grabbed the doe by her neck, making the injured animal to panic and flail about with all her might. Though due to him, she could barely even move anything but her neck, though a doe being able to escape the grasp of a hunter-in-training is just a joke. That reality came crashing took a clenched fist and caved the mammal's skull in with a single strike, effectively ending her life and pulling away his hand.

Now with her dead, Cardin took his gloves and poncho off, proceeding to gut the creature with his claws, having to put in more of an effort since his claws were more round on their tips, making a mess as he opened up the creature. Its intestines fell out, staining the green grass with crimson, prompting Cardin to immediately grab and pull it out, not hesitating to place the organ in his mouth and start chewing, then pulling out more, and more, and more, until he had finished up the last bit, the inside of his mouth now having a strong taste of iron that only made him want more of her.

So he then reached further into the dead doe, feeling the warmth, squishy, wet inside of her furry shell, ripping out her kidneys to eat, her small stomach to consume, her liver to devour, her lungs to ingest, and her heart to partake of. Then he moved on with the eyes, gouging out the slippery, soft orbs and greedily swallowing them in one gulp. After that, Cardin further cracked open the doe's skull, taking about a minute to scoop out all of her brain to pig out on.

The doe was nothing but a bleeding husk at that point, filled with very little, save for bones and veins. Cardin had somewhat tired himself after the feast, just sitting there on his knees, palms pressed against the cold, stained grass, taking deep, shaky breaths as he ascended back into his usual state-of-mind. When he came back, Cardin didn't even worry about having just eaten raw meat, since he had worst. Instead, he was worried about all the blood that covered him.

Now he could just say it's the blood of a doe he had killed, but people would ask him why he killed a doe. Or when did he kill a doe? Or they could even question if it's actually human blood. Overall, Cardin believed going back to Beacon would draw unnecessary attention to him if he didn't hide the blood. Though when he further examined himself, he saw that most of the blood only stained his shirt, hands, and poncho, three things he could easily fix.

First, he just put his gloves back on, then he turned his poncho inside out, and finally, he took his shirt off and bundled it up so that no one could see the red leftovers on it; he didn't mind if he had to walk into Beacon shirtless, mostly because he knew no one would dare make fun of his appearance, him being slightly more of an endomorph than an mesomorph. The young brute then quickly licked his lips to get rid of any remaining crimson, tasting a bitter metallic liquid coming off. Then finally, he got up back on his feet, taking a few steps back to look at the mess he made, not feeling any remorse because at least it provided sustenance to him.

Cardin walked over the dead doe, not looking back as he started to run, not looking back as he moved his legs at an inhuman rate. He kept running, running, running, and running until he stopped, bending over, his hands on his knees as he pant and wheezed like a madman, having just reached Beacon close enough to the point that he could make out the main avenue, devoid of any one in general.

At this point, the Disown ruffian started to feel his throat burn, barely though, not enough to even make him think that he was going to puke. Cardin at this point chose to walk now; him having just ran non-stop for what he guessed was little over three miles sucked out a substantial amount of energy from him, so if he didn't want to pass out from exhaustion, then Cardin was going to have to walk.

That burning sensation soon turned into that familiar sense of bile now, getting a "Fuck" out of Cardin as he finally got onto the main avenue, still with no one in sight as he trotted along towards the academy, soon passing by the first circle of gargantuan archways. By then, he almost let the waste out of his mouth, but managed to hold it back, though much to his chagrin, Cardin knew he was going to have to let it out eventually.

Which was now, actually, after he passed the second, smaller circle of stone archways. The same, black, burning liquid came out as one would expect, steaming as Cardin stopped in front the academy statue to up-chuck his midnight dinner and just-eaten snack, some getting into the water. He felt his head tighten as he did so. Unfortunately, it didn't stop after the first time, with Cardin soon throwing up the stick, chunky substance out again, his eyes watering and nostrils burning, mentally crying as he wondered why bad stuff happens to good people.

Just after his second session, Cardin remained silent while staring at the disgusting pile that pooled around his slippers, just gazing into the everlasting, seemingly- brilliant, burning-glory of an abyss it created before his golden eyes.

Then he threw up thrice, wincing as he felt like he was scorching, weeping externally this time as the feeling of this never ending befell upon him. Cardin just fell onto his back after five seconds, feeling like he was about to explode like a fireball impacting a solid surface, all the while vomit still came out, now covering his face, neck and bare chest, making him feel like the most vulgar creation ever created, in history of the universe.

It did stop, and he did thank God for having mercy. Yet, he found himself being unable to move any part of his body, feeling everything go numb as his eyelids started to to flutter, and even though he heard the bell ring for the students to come out, Cardin didn't care. All he wanted to do now was just sleep, just sleep, just sleep in his sweaty, puke-covered, fleshy shell...

* * *

"This isn't good maaan, this isn't _gooood._ "

Sky- who just expressed how he felt about Cardin's absence, Dove, who sat on his bed like Lark, while Russel simply looked out the open window to their room, staring off into the distance.

"We need to find him," Sky kept on going, "Cardin hasn't ever been gone for this long."

"Yeah no shit," Russel replied, not looking at his teammate as he said so, "we'll have to look for him."

Dove glanced up at Thrush, saying, "Look for him? He's lost in Emerald, Russel, and you want us to go look for him in there?"

"Dove, we got nothing to be scared of out there, you dumbass, w-"

"-No no- I know that," Bronzewing cut the speedster off, standing up and proceeding with, "but we don't know where the fuck Cardin is going in there to..." He looked at his scroll with paranoia similar to the Winchester's before going on, an action noticed by Lark and Thrush, who understood what was going on. "... We don't know where he going to do his shit."

"Well, yeah, we don't know where he's going _exactly._ " Russel replied, "but we can't just keep on waiting Dove. Something... definitely happened to Cardin and we need to fucking find out what it was and get him back."

"... Okay," Dove made a gesture, pointing towards the dorm room door, "but we can't do this by ourselves. We'll need help."

"WHAT? Help? Who's gonna help us?!" Sky asked rather aggressively, getting up now as well. "Who the fuck's gonna lend a hand with finding Cardin?! Everybody hates us so much that they'll just fucking shut their doors on us, and we can't go and get Ozpin involved or else we're risking what Cardin's doing getting found out. Hell, we're doing the same thing if we get help from somebody who isn't a faculty member."

"So then we're just gonna go out there and search for him by ourselves?! That'll take way too long and it'll put _CARDIN'S_ safety at risk instead!"

"Oh- okay! So we'll just go get Ozp-"

"- I wasn't finished!" Dove blasted, causing both of his brothers to jump in shock, intensely looking back at the red- seething face of Bronzewing, who's hair became a little disheveled just now. "There's some people who might help us... RWBY."

"... Do you mean the team or-"

"-Th-the team, Russel, the team."

"Oh, okay."

"... Yeaaah... so, how about-"

"-What makes you think they're going to help us?" Lark inquired with a hint of doubt.

"Well... when you think about it, they're really the only ones who'll most likely help us, or at least Yang and Ruby will. Cardin seems to have done well with improving his relationship with them so... yeah, either we get them to help us or... or we'll just go and find him on our own."

"..."

"..."

"... Ugh, okay look, I already got a plan for us."

"Oh r-"

"-Shut the fuck up." Dove told Russel, nonchalantly, pissing him of just by how he waved him off. "Look, you two can start looking for Cardin in Emerald while I go and try to persuade RWBY into helping us, okay?"

"... What if they want to know about what he does in the forest."

Dove assured Sky with a confident tone. "Don't worry about that. Like I said, I have a plan on getting them to help us." Albeit, Dove thought to himself how terribly simple his plan was, but he still felt sure in himself that he'll be able to coerce them into helping.

"... Okay."

"Fine, fine." Sky and Russel themselves felt unsure of this mystery plan of Dove's, but yet knew that they could not waste anymore time with bickering on what to do. So they picked up their weapons and left the room, leaving Dove to stand there in his lonesome solitude, deeply breathing for a few minutes or so, giving his teammates a head-start before he picked up his own machine-gun sword and exited the room himself, looking at the door that belonged to team RWBY.

He walked, each step matching a judder from his heart until he was in front from the door, with a rather large amount of verbal commotion coming from the other side. Dove stood still to listen for a few seconds before he realized JNPR was in there with them, or at least that's what he thought, hearing Jaune and Pyrrha among the chattering voices, giving Dove the idea of possibly getting them to join along with their search party.

Dove, with a few beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, while starting up a bit of crocodile-tears, knocked on the door, hushing all of the chit-chat going, and prompting someone walking to the door, probably to look through the peep-hole before saying, "It's Dove," being barely audible to his ears. The door was pulled open before him to show that it was Yang, staring at him, already, but barely, looking a bit confused by his presence, noticing the few false tears that rolled down his cheeks, while also revealing to him that the entirety of JNPR was in there with her teammates.

"Dove? Is there-"

"Hey, sorry, but..." He took another deep breath, stuttering as he did so before asking, "You, uh- haven't seen Cardin, have you?"

"... No, not since yesterday, why?"

"We think something bad might have happened to him. Cardin... he's been gone since last night, and...a-and we don't know where he is. Russel and Sky went to tell Ozpin about this and told me to go looking for him. So I-I just stopped by to ask if you guys have seen him, but i-if you haven't then... I-I'll just go get on going." Dove looked the left to see an empty hallway, taking just barely a few steps before his plan succeeded.

"Wait!" He stopped himself when hearing Ruby shout for him, turning back to see her having just come out of her room. "Dove, I'll help you look for him."

He wanted to smile wickedly, but Dove held it back to maintain his fake humbleness. "Thanks, Ruby. L-"

"-Hold on, I'll come too." Yang stated, following in her little-sister's footsteps, much to his delight.

"Wow, thanks you two, but... y-you should get your weapons before we go." That request put everyone of them off, mystified by such a demand like that.

"Why should we get our weapons?"

"Because... well, my team and I thought about it, and we decided that Cardin may be lost in Emerald Forest. His student I.D. is still in his room, so there no way he could have gone down to Vale. He can't be on the campus either because he should have been found by now. So we... we're thinking he lost in the forest. So if any of you are gonna help us... then you should all get your weapons and anything else you'll need..."

* * *

"Well look at this broken down piece of shit right here, boy!"

Cardin's eyes fluttered back open as he was awoken from his power-nap in response to the voice, belonging to a young man he remembered all too clearly. The fact that this was happening to him in his weakest moment made him take back his thanks for God he made earlier.

"Yo dirtbag, get that tub of lard you call an ass up, so I can knock IT back down!" Cardin, who's awareness for his surroundings was blurred by pain and a sharp, high-pitch ringing in his, tried to do so. Though when he found himself standing, he felt like his legs were nothing but wet noodles, forcing him to fall down on his knees and hands. At the same time, Ron Mahogany gave the most rural laugh ever heard by anyone, enjoying the sight of a broken down mess while the rest of his team, and others students who just stared on from a distance, looked on with shock and pity from seeing the kind of state Cardin was in.

"Come on boy, get up already! COME ON- GIT!" Ron knocked off Cardin's hood, exposing his face for the world to see and prompting him to immediately cover his looks with his gloved hands. That did not stop Ron though from grabbing the giant student by his orange-red hair and pulling him up by it, only to deliver a brutal, aura-fuel knee to his hidden face, getting a loud crack from his nose breaking as Cardin fell onto his back, groaning as he put his aura to work on the wound.

"Bam bam! Broke your nose faster than my daddy broke mah' ass with his belt! How does it feel, _Cardin?!_ " All Ron got was a weak, muffled laugh from Cardin as he envisioned the mullet-brunette getting whipped from behind with a belt. This of course infuriated REDD's leader and prompted him to go for Cardin's hands and pull the away from his face, catching a glimpse of his snarling, razor teeth and enraged golden eyes before Cardin pulled back with all the strength he had. "Damn Cardin. You're, **_ugly._** Don't you worr' bout a thing though, boy, I got the perfect beauty cream right here."

For a moment, Cardin spread his fingers to see Ron just pulling his arm back with a clenched fist, about to strike once more. This actually relieved Cardin, who had presumed Ron was actually going to unbuckle his pants and piss all over the Disown giant.

"... Hey, Ron."

"Whut?" Fortunately for Cardin, again, Ron stopped himself to look back at Diamond and his teammates, taking note of the gloomy features that had sprouted in their gazes.

"I... I know Cardin's an racist asshole, and I'd loved to wail on him for being one... but this isn't right."

Ron gave the tiger-faunus the most dumbfounded look ever, his mouth agape, his blue eyes bulging, and his brows raised highly, creasing his forehead as he got up from Cardin and said, " _Oh,_ excuse me?! The fuck you just said, Diamond? Too far?! TOO FAR?! This," Ron pointed down at the unstable beast below his feet, "this dee-gener-ATE, deserves everything that comes his way! But yet, you think this here dirtbag doesn't?"

"You're a fucking _dee-gener-ate,_ Ron." Cardin said, mocking the first-year student in the process. "I bet you like fuck your cousins, you inbred freak."

And Ron shot back, "Shut up!"

"Ron, listen," Diamond started again, taking back her leader's attention, "just look at Cardin right now. Look at him and... fucking- look at all this shit he threw up. It's obvious he's sick right, he can't fight back or even properly defend himself, and yet here you are, attacking him while he's down. We all get it that he's just horrible, but... what you're doing right now" Ron looked back down at Cardin, who had actually pushed himself back up on his hands, just to only throw up some more. It was a sight that convinced Ron that his actions were indeed wrong.

"Fuck it," but he'd never admit it, now right now at least. Ron would rather have himself look like he did not care for what Diamond said, and instead throw away his desire to harm Cardin anymore, over him openly acknowledging she was right and let Cardin hear his admittance. "Come on, let's go, I'll just leave you to wallow in this here heap you made for yourself."

With that, Ron turned around and walked away from the unstable student, with his team following him as expected. Diamond however, stopped to look back at Cardin one last time, still puking, thinking of helping him to the medical building. But, she chose not to, due to her believing that leaving him there would be a suitable punishment for him, so she turned back to catch up with her team.

In reality, Cardin had actually not heard a single word that the tiger-faunus said. He just guessed Ron was letting him puke before moving on with beating him down. With that in mind, Cardin had not even bothered to look back up to see if REDD's leader was still there; the child of Ziz just fell back down, making sure he didn't land anywhere near the black bile, landing the side of his head against the cold, solid, rough surface of the main avenue into Beacon, looking right at the base of the statue, waiting for Ron to continue on with giving Cardin his just-deserts, even feeling sleep take hold of him yet again as he waited in anticipation.

But, it never came. No fist, no kick, nor jeer was directed at Cardin. That was when he realized Ron must have left. But even then, Cardin did not push himself back up; he felt too drained to even think of such an idea, let alone being able to move his arms efficiently. So, the gargantuan student decided to do the only thing he can do, other than calling out for help, and that was sleeping. He will sleep, until all his energy comes back to him. None of the other students that he could see showed any interest to help him, that was also the reason for why he did not bother to call out for help.

Yet, judging from the sounds of footsteps approaching him, Cardin presumed someone was going to prove him wrong.

"Hey," It was Coco, talking to him from behind, "is... everything okay."

"... No... no, everything is not okay, Coco. What a dumb, fucking question..."

"... You know, I was going to stop Ron from beating you."

"Why didn't you do it, then?"

"I thought you were just gonna snap after awhile and just beat him up instead, but... I was wrong. You just... lied there, in your own vomit, taking it..."

"... Can you just help me up?"

"Okay."

"And... help me with getting back to my room? I just feel... like total shit man, like my legs barely work, and my arms-"

"-Cardin." He went silent from Coco cutting in, staying so for a moment as she pinched the top of her nose, sighing before saying, "... Fine, I'll help you with that."

He weakly thanked her for her kindness, and Coco replied with grabbing Cardin by his arm, effectively pulling his whole frame up by it and draping his appendage over her shoulders, and basically walked away from the sight of his puke, with Cardin's feet just dragging against the avenue, all the while they left behind his white shirt, until Cardin remembered it and asked for Coco to go back to get it, much to her annoyance. But she still accepted his request and got his bloodied top back.

"Oh shit- Cardin!" Just as they went back and picked up his shirt, Russel and Sky finally reached the main avenue themselves, surprised and relieved to see Cardin was just still breathing. The two, however, were also befuddled a bit when they saw it was Coco who was helping Cardin. But they did not bother to question her decision to help him, rather they chose to spare any talking and instead went to take Cardin off her hands, thanking her for coming to his aid, and telling her she can go.

But she didn't. Coco insisted on coming with them to make sure Cardin gets back to his room without any further injury, which Sky and Russel granted, letting her follow them, holding Cardin's crimson soaked shirt in her hands, actually having just noticed there was a lot of blood on it, yet not bringing it up.

And eventually, the four students were confronted by Dove, with Ruby and Yang traveling alongside him, unexpectedly getting to see Cardin's face without being covered by his hood for the first time ever. But, just like Adel realizing the was blood on Cardin's white shirt, the two sisters did not bring up Cardin's face being exposed either, instead choosing to follow the four boys back to their room...

* * *

"Alright, how the _fuck-ing_ exploration been going so far."

"Ah, Baroness, so far we have yet to encounter anymore troubles since last Tuesday with exploring the structure. But..."

"... What?"

"There... we did expect there to be so many chambers within it. We're pretty sure we have fully investigated all of the room withing the construct itself, but once we started go down beneath it, we've started discovering... just-just more and more chambers of various sizes, along with different belongings in each, a-and more remains as well."

"... Okay."

"... O-Okay?"

"Well, it sound's like you guys have been doing well so far, so... yeah, okay."

"... Well-"

"-Oh fuck- there we go, got ourselves an _oh._ Just tell me what the fucking problem is so I can... I dunno- I just wanna fucking kill myself."

"Excuse me?"

"Tell me what's wrong!"

"Yes, yes, I'm sorry, Baroness. The problem we have been having recently is... well, the people you've assigned to work with me have been... experiencing..."

"... What, ghosts?"

"What? No, never! There's no such thing as..."

"... Well, I believe in ghosts, along with a lot of things actually, but... look, just tell me what's fucking wrong."

"... I don't know maybe it is ghosts, or something... else, but... so far, ever since our last incident, we have been hearing, feeling... and seeing... _horrors_ that we can't explain."

"... Okay, okay... I don't got time to talk about what it is you're seeing down there, and... I'm morbidly interested by what you said, but... look, the things you people are seeing... they aren't going to _hinder_ anything now, are they?"

"... The soldiers, and workers, they've been scared so much to the point th-that they won't even go back into the structure anymore."

"Fucking shit- some of those men and women I gave **you** survived the war with Vale. Fucking hell- some of them almost died during that time, and nowadays they're the toughest bastards on this god-forsaken shit-heap of an island. But now you're telling me they're _scared_ of a few bumps in the night?! How about I just call this whole thing off and send you all back to the work I had planned out for you fucking primitive homunculus creatures to do in the first place!"

"..."

"Or, you can all just grow up, and get your asses back down there now."

"... Baroness, they won't go back down unless we get more people on this job."

"... Are you fucking kidding me? That's the solution here?"

"Baroness, the problem here is more that they are just uncomfortable with exploring that thing by themselves."

"I fucking gave you six people to work on this, isn't that enough to make them feel comfortable?"

"... No."

"Oh my- okay, okay, you're lucky we have a lot of soldiers to spare. How about... I don't know, thirty soldiers to help? That way you little pussies won't get scared of being alone here anymore?"

"Y-Yes, thank you Baroness."

"Yeah you better thank me..."

"..."

"... Wait, Richard!"

"Ah, yes., ma'am?"

"I want you to send a... request to Ozpin."

"And what will it be?"


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8:**_ _ **I'm The Definition Of, Half Man, Half Drugs...**_

"All right guys, ready, and heave- _**OOOOFFFFHHH!**_ Hoooo... there we go." Russel sighed, having just tossed a slumbering, bare-chested, puke-stained Cardin Winchester onto his bed, with the help of Dove and Sky of course. "Oh thank, fucking, God he's alright. This was like the..." Russel stopped himself, trailing off and turning around to see Ruby, Yang, and Coco, all standing in front of the doorway, displaying fretting looks- except Coco, who just looked indifferent. Russel had almost forgotten they were following them to begin with. ".. Hey, thanks for helping us with finding Cardin guys, even if it was easier than we thought. You can all leave now."

"... So, you three are just... gonna leave Cardin here or are you going to get him some help?"

"Well," Russel started, in response to Adel's question, "... no, yeah, we're uh... Cardin doesn't need any doctors or stupid medical shit like that, his aura will take care of himself."

"-I'm sorry, did you not see all of that... fucking shit he threw up back at the statue?! Normal people don't throw up that much- let alone that black shit that he pukes out- and not go and see a doctor! Oh, and look at this," Coco unbundled Cardin's stained shirt to show his brothers, Yang, and Ruby all of the blood that had coated it, shocking and horrifying everyone in the room by the sight, "this is **not** his blood. I know that because it was like a ducking dozen feet away from where Ron was beating him up! So either Cardin threw up all this blood himself, or..."

Coco did not say it, but everyone knew what it was going to be: she was merely implying that Cardin had killed someone, or hopefully an animal while he was gone.

"... I don't know if this his blood or not, but whatever the case," She tossed the shirt to Sky, who jumped back a bit to let it hit the ground without touching him, "Cardin needs to get help. Whatever... has been happening to him isn't right at all." Coco soon left after expressing her opinion, leaving the six students alone in CRDL's room, remaining in gut-wrenching silence as Sky sat himself down at the end of Cardin's bed, Dove clenched his hands, and Russel shook his head, waving her comment off, all the while Yang and Ruby stood still, momentarily glancing at each other to determine whether or not they should leave.

"That bitch doesn't know a fucking thing," Lark began with an irate tone, scowling at the floor as he continued on, "she doesn't know Cardin like we do, he'll be fucking right as rain soon enough. I don't even know why she helped Cardin to begin with, or why she cares, but..." He brought his attention to the two sisters now, his gaze softening while doing so, "you two... I don't know... but like Russ said, thanks..."

"..."

"..."

"... But she's right though," Ruby spoke up, grabbing the three boy's attention, "I mean... it's not normal for a person to... throw up stuff like that. And all that blood on Cardin's shirt," she brought her vision over to Cardin, who still slept like a big, terrifying baby, "... it's not good, whether if it's his or not..."

No one uttered a word for the next few seconds that followed, except for Dove, who spoke with persuasiveness surpassing every time he tried to convince someone otherwise. "... Yeah... she's right, it's not normal. But... it is for Cardin. Why? We can't tell you two why, nut that doesn't mean both of you should worry about Cardin's health. And as for that," Dove pointed down at the bloodied shirt, while maintaining visual contact with Ruby and Yang, "... Cardin wouldn't kill a human being, or a faunus, he's not a...monster."

"So what? You think he just killed an animal? Why would he do that?"

"... I dunno," Dove answered Yang, shrugging his shoulders as he did so, "but I do know that's probably where the blood came from. But just like I said: don't worry about it..."

"..."

"..."

"... You two should leave now." The two girls of RWBY remained where they stood for a brief instance after hearing Russel's statement, Ruby visibly looking more saddened by all of that has happened. Until Yang gently tugged on her little sister's shoulder.

"Come on, let's go." Her little sister complied, turning around and following her big sister through the doorway, and gently shut the door on her way out. Ruby followed the footsteps of Yang until they reached their dorm room, just staring at the back of her head while Yang unlocked the door to their room, opening it to reveal JNPR to be gone, Weiss, sitting on her bed, studying something on her scroll, and Blake, who lied beneath the blankets of her bed, not reading any of her favorite novels, rather just giving a blank stare at the ceiling. "Hey you two, we're back."

"You found Cardin that fast?"

"Yeah, turned out he was... I think... passed out in front of that statue at the end of the main avenue, covered in that black goo he always pukes out, topless, with a bloodied shirt, and that Mahogany guy beating him up. Or at least that's how Coco made it out to be when she found him." Weiss stayed quiet after hearing Yang's answer, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the reply she got, while Ruby and her big sisters rested on their respective beds.

Soon however, Weiss let out another question. "... So, is he...?"

"His... brothers told us to take him back to their room. They said his aura will take care of... whatever is wrong with him."

"... Do you think it will."

"Pfft, no," Yang shot back, sitting her back down onto her bed, resting her cranium on her pillow, "if it did, then you'd think it would have stopped whatever is causing it. Or maybe it has something to do with what he's eating."

"Maybe he should stop pigging down on all that jerky. Maybe then he'll have a healthier lifestyle." The cat faunus of RWBY brought us, turning over so she could now see Weiss and Ruby in their beds.

Everyone sat still, quiet as a mouse for a few seconds until Yang said, "... I don't think it's the jerky, Blake."

Her partner sighed, "I know, Yang. But still, whatever it is, that bastard should stop eating it."

Yang silently nodded in agreement, if it was that case of course. But she knew nothing about Cardin's lifestyle, save for all the jerky eating. Still though, Yang knew she they had no idea of whatever was wrong with CRDL's leader, and by looking at her little sister, who sat in her bed, with everything that had happened to them over the past few days having clearly taken a toll on her, and the rest of the team.

"... Well, whatever is happening, I think we should just... let CRDL handle their own problems, and we'll handle our own for now..."

* * *

 _"Mommy?"_

 _"What is it, Cardin?"_

 _"Where to people go when they die?"_

 _"How should I fucking know?"_

 _"Wha?"_

 _"I mean... there is no afterlife..."_

 _"... Wha?"_

 _"I MEAN... fuck- I... okay, here's the deal, Cardin... some people, like me, believe that when you fuck-ing choke, your soul... goes to an afterlife. While others- like Richard- think you're retarded if you believe there's an afterlife."_

 _"I've never said such a thing, Ziz."_

 _"You **fucking** think it though and I, FUCKING, KNOOOOOOOW IT!"_

 _"..."_

 _"... Got it, Cardin?"_

 _"... What... what's an afterlife?"_

 _"Motherfucker- an afterlife, Cardin, is... well, like this. How we live right, what we eat, what we do, it's all gonna be in afterlife, except it'll all be much more enjoyable."  
_

 _"..."_

 _"OR, if... you've been a bad, baaad person, then you're soul will instead go, to, Hell. Where you will fucking burn for all of eternity."_

 _"... Am I gonna go to Hell?"_

 _"What? No, no you stupid... well, that depends on how you behave as you grow up. Like, the... people, who've been sent here before the war, they have a good chance of going to Hell."_

 _"... But, but I was sent here too."_

 _"... No you weren't."_

 _"B-But... you said I was still in you wh-"_

 _"-Okay, okay, Cardin, let me... I don't know- here, listen, you're not gonna go to hell just because you... fucking came here with me while you were still in my tummy. And, people who were sent here before the war... some of them won't go to hell either, because they were... accused for crimes they didn't commit, or... they made themselves better people after they were sent. But, again, Cardin, as long as **you** don't act like an asshole, then you'll be fine."  
_

 _"..."_

 _"... Cardin?"_

 _"... Are... are you gonna go to hell?"_

 _"... Probably... yeah..."_

 _"But... but I don't want you to go to hell."_

 _"What?"_

 _"I-I don't want you to go to hell while I go t-to the good place, I don't want y-you t... to be gone! E-Either you're coming with me or... or I-I'll go with you!"_

 _"..."_

 _"... Mommy?"_

 _"... I'm... I'm sorry, Cardin, I just... I need to go fucking do something... hold on..."_

* * *

At nightfall, with the small specks of whites taking up a clear sky, was Cardin, alone in CRDL's dorm room, now only lit dimly by a lamp on a nightstand, battling off the darkness with a yellow-orange glow, reflecting off of everything touched by the light, including a peacefully snoring Cardin, alone among the empty beds. The giant though, gently woke up.

His golden eyes were released to blankly stare at the ceiling, his lips broadening into a flat expression as he did so. He continued to lie where he was for a few seconds before growling, sitting himself up and stretching out his body, cracking bones as he did so before moving on to scratching his bare chest. A rough fart that escaped from his cheeks prompted Cardin scurry over to the window, hastily pulling it open to let the cool, night wind take away the putrid stench.

As it flowed out of the open window, Cardin stuck his head out to gaze upon the campus, lit up by street lights and light from the buildings themselves, brightening the way for the few students that walked out to wherever it was that they were going- Cardin could care less for them. He could watch them all be exposed and weakened to be slaughtered by grimm and he'd still would not care, whether or not it would be easy for him to save them. He'd probably even laugh at their pain, just because why not. Though, there were a few students at Beacon- other than his brothers- whom he started to feel some form of care for.

Cardin brought his attention back to the empty room, now wondering where his brothers were to begin with. That was until he noticed a sticky note posted on their door, reading, " _Cardin, we went to the dining hall, go fuck yourself. Sincerely, Sky."_ Cardin reminded himself to piss all over Sky's bed one day, but until then, he decided instead to dress himself down of his dirtied pajamas, boxers, and slippers, and head for their shower to cleanse himself of his filth. After doing so, he adorned just his black, red-trimmed shirt, black pants, and red belt, while also keeping his poncho and gloves.

The gargantuan student then went to push open the door, unintentionally slamming it into someone. Cardin walked out of the doorframe to see who it was he struck down, though he really did not care if they were fine or not. But when he looked down to see a somewhat wincing, female Haven-exchange student, with long, black, ashen hair, black-painted fingernails, and the most memorizing, amber eyes Cardin had ever seen. Everything about her memorized him; she was, without a doubt in his mind, the most gorgeous young woman he had ever seen.

Then he snapped out of it, scowling as he looked up to see two more Haven student who Cardin assumed where her teammates, one being a well-built, though far shorter than Cardin, young man, with scraggly gray hair, which was the same shade of his eyes. The other was another girl, her eyes bright red and hair cut with a fringe upfront, and two long locks on the sides, all the color of a light, minty-green shade. She actually stood back, staring at Cardin like a deer in headlights, while the young man went to help up the other who had fallen.

"Ugh, what a bunch of fucking freaks- watch where you're going, bitch." Was what came out of Cardin's mouth, walking pass the two Haven students in front of him, heading towards the girl with red eyes, purposefully shoving her aside to continue on his way, forcing her shoulder to collide with the wall. That, however, snapped Emerald out of her fear for the Winchester, turning around to see him grinning, ear to ear, chuckling before moving on with his own business.

"... Fucking asshole." Hearing footsteps behind him, Cardin stopped to look back again, growling as he spotted Emerald, right as she had her arm pulled back, her hand curled into a fist. Even when he saw her, she still proceeded to shoot her arm forward, only to have her wrist caught by the mammoth right hand of Cardin, engulfing it with his fingers and pulling her up to his hidden face, completely voiding out all of her anger, an filling the empty space with fear once more.

"Sweetie... you're lucky, **lucky,** that I'm tired right now. But don't you worry, next time I see you..." He tilted his head to the left to see the other two, the young man warily watching him while the other girl gave him a glare with anger that matched her beauty. Though, it only made him laugh, ringing his attention back to the still frightened Emerald. "... next time I see you, _alone..._ I'm just gonna put your bitch-ass in its place." His lips were coated by his tongue in exclamation, getting a repulsed shudder out of Emerald, soon being released to just fall onto her bottom.

Cardin kept his eyes on her for one second before bring his gaze back to the girl with amber eyes, his perverted smile reverting back into a frown of irritation, suddenly feeling the air around him warm while keeping his eyes on her. He did not know why, but the air around them grew warm, but he soon assumed that it was anything but natural, rather believing it had something to do with her.

She didn't scare him though, and he wanted her to know. "... As for you, if I end up having anymore problems with your little bitch here, then I'll pay you a visit myself."

Cinder, matching his tone, responded, "Then I'll be waiting for you."

Cardin would be lying if he said he was not disturbed a bit by her, what with him feeling like he was gonna have a heatstroke while keeping his vision on her. With haste, he nodded head, feeling his sweaty neck rub against the leather of his poncho while turning around and leaving behind this little encounter. Though he still felt his body perspire, still feeling like that girl was shooting daggers at the back of his head.

But fortunately, tonight the cold came with blowing winds, relieving Cardin of his overheating body in exchange for the cool fresh air, filling his nostrils as he inhaled the too-crisp air. Though it did not matter, for Cardin was much more comfortable with breathing through with mouth rather than with his nose.

He looked back at the dorm building, brimming with ire, desiring to just go back in there and beat down that Haven student, to just find her and do God knows what to her. But Cardin said no, knowing that there will be another day where he'll come across her once again. Maybe during combat class he'll call her out to spar with him. That seemed to be the best choice, because that way he'll get to obliterate her and not get in trouble.

But until then, Cardin started to trot his way in the direction of the dining hall...

* * *

"Ah, hello Ziz."

"Yeah, hey Dion."

"How... has your day been?"

"... Fucking... fine. It was fine. Let's get on with this shit."

"Really? I believe it wasn't."

"... Yeah, well, I don't give a shit about what you believe. Just get the grim in here and-"

"- Where have you been today?"

"..."

"Ziz, tell me now, please."

"... Why, Dion? Why? It's nothing im-"

"-Ziz... please. Something followed you here."

"... What?"

"I... it is foul, but... maybe it is just its scent. But whatever it was, it..."

"..."

"... You found something. I know it. Just please... please, tell me what it is..."

"... We found a structure."

"A structure? Where? WHERE?!"

"Dion... fuck- it's in the underground, okay? But, BUT, Dion-"

"- Beneath Remnant? On this island?!"

"Yes, Dion, it's beneath the dirt _**on**_ Disown. You fucking think I'm going somewhere else like Vale? Those fuckers and their own archaeological discover can go suck a chode."

"... Ziz, listen to me. What it is that lives beneath our feet should be left undisturbed.-"

"-Okay, first of all, Dion... shut up, okay? Secondly, secondly... I'll say it, I've noticed strange things going on when we found it, when **I** went into it today. But let me tell you this: I'm not fucking scared of... whatever it is you're warning me of, okay? You think I give a fuck about the unknown? You think I'm fucking scared of it, you fucking retarded abomination of nature? I am _not_ a little bitch, a little pussy, a fucking coward. Whatever we find beneath our feet can, and will, kiss my ass. And... as for that lady you warned me about, the same will go for her if I ever catch her little bitch-ass in my line of sight. Do you you fucking understand?"

"..."

"Listen to what I have to say, Dion: I do not fear the unknown. I never have, and I never will. Now get those grim in here."

"... Okay..."

"Well look at this, the fat cunt came here tonight to pig down."

"... I'm gonna fucking murder you one day, Sky." Cardin informed his bluenette brother, taking a seat in front him, his tray stacked with nothing steaks and barbecue sauce.

"Fucking- do it. Do it now. I want to die."

And Cardin shot back with, "Yeah, me too."

So did Dove, "Ditto."

"Mmm-hm." With Russel being the last to agree with his team. Cardin took one of his steaks, the warm meat rubbing against his leather gloves as he sank his teeth into it, forcing the juices to pour down from his lips to his neck, staining his shirt in the end. "Fucking hell Cardin, you your fucking fork and knife man."

"Shut up." Cardin proceeded to take another bit, and then spat it out onto his burned-up brother. Just as the wet chunk of cooked bovine slapped against his cheek, Russel slapped the steak out of Cardin's hand, landing it on his lap, now ruing his pants. In response, Cardin took that steak and then simply, with overwhelming force, smack Thrush in the face with it, creating a loud slap hear throughout the dining hall.

Dove and Sky broke out in laughter as they, along with a few other students now, watched Cardin, steak still in hand, jump onto a Russel who had fallen out of his seat, stating with amused hatred, "You'll learn to respect your leader, _trash!_ " Cardin started to rail on Russel with his steak, making the boy grunt and moan in discomfort as he was held down to take his unjust punishment.

"Get off me you fat cunt- MMMPPHGHSMLKHHH!" Russel was silenced when Cardin started force feeding the steak to him, causing tears to soon start running down from his only eye as this abuse kept on going. Sky and Dove though just kept on howling their lungs out like madmen, as more and more students started to watch the scene unfolding before their eyes, baffled by what Cardin was doing.

"... Should... should we do something?"

"Like what?" Yang asked her little sister, not taking her gaze off of this form of assault.

"Like... stop him."

"Uh... nah- they're... they're just roughhousing, that's all."

"Roughhousing is a good reason to stop them, Yang." Pyrrha stated, she too not being able to look away as Cardin started to now spit on Russel.

"Okay okay, yeah- what I meant to say was... well, they're brothers, so maybe this is just... play fighting." Russel started to crawl, having just been released from his huge brother's grasp, cursing him for this humiliation. Said brother than took his tray and with all his might, threw it at Russel's back, getting more steak and now barbecue sauce all over his clothes.

"This isn't play fighting... it's humiliation-"

"-SHUT UP BLAKE!" Cardin shouted, stopping while standing over Russel to look the cat faunus straight in her amber eyes with his golden orbs, startling her, the rest of RWBY, and JNPR just from the fact Cardin could hear Blake from all the way from where they were sitting. Russel took this distraction as a kairos, bringing his knee up to strike Cardin in his groin.

The attack was super effective, with Cardin lips puckering and his eyes puckering as he fell down next to Russel. The sight of Cardin taking a blow to his testicles only encouraged Lark and Bronzewing to keep on going with their guffaw, now along other students who took joy in watching Cardin get what he deserved, even if it was just his teammate which he was abusing.

"Fucking... _little cunt._ " Was what came out through gritting teeth, Cardin's eyes starting to water as Russel crawled back to his seat. The Winchester was able to recover fast though, yet he did not continue on with teaching Russel a lesson on disrespect. Instead he went for his seat like Russel, groaning as he sat down while Thrush finally having just used his arms to get himself onto his own seat, slamming his head down to rest, heaving while watching Cardin open and chug down his soda bottle of its liquid; the students, while this conflict took an end, soon went back to their own business, just as Dove and Sky's joyous hawking did down, leaving CRDL to sit in tranquility for a few seconds.

"... So, Coco helped me."

"Yeah, it's weird," Sky replied, "she was also getting on our case about getting you help, but... screw that noise."

Cardin gave a, "I agree," leaving a gap of silence between them until Dove chimed in.

"I also managed to persuade Ruby and Yang to help us with finding you."

"Cool..."

"..."

"..."

"... You don't care, do you?"

"Nah nah, I think it's good that they came..."

"..."

"..."

"... What happened, Cardin?"

He stayed quiet, letting Russel's faint question settle for a moment before answering, "I... ate too much, fell asleep in the forest again, and killed a doe on my way back here, got beat up by Ron Mahogany- that fucker saw my face, and... well, Coco helped me after he left me alone..."

"... Why'd you kill a doe?"

"I... was still hungry, apparently, and went... feral, again."

"Fucking shit." Sky replied, though not in disgust- he knew Cardin has eaten much worst. Rather, he just took pity on Cardin's day, feeling a sense of gratitude just by knowing he wasn't Cardin.

"Yeah... I'm still gonna have to go back there tonight though..."

"... Well, I'll go with you this time," Dove said, "that way, if this ever happens again, we'll at least know where it is you're going specifically. Okay?"

"... Okay."

Sky soon declared, "I'll come with you guys too, then I'll know too," getting a nod out of his leader before he brought his vision down to his side, seeing Russel more demoralized than he had ever seen him in his entire life, other than when he saw him after his parents burned down with his home.

"You coming, faggot?"

"... I wanna die..." Cardin took that as a yes.

"Okay, cool, you guys ready to go now?" His team nodded their heads "yes," except for Russel, who sat still in depressing silence. "Good, go to the room and grab the sleeping bags, then meet me by the statue on the main avenue. But let me leave first and you guys wait here for a few minutes. After that, go to the room and grab the sleeping bags, then meet me at the statue on main avenue." His brothers nodded yet again, staying still in their seats while Cardin got up from his seat, and walked away, not paying attention to anyone as he left the dining hall.

Outside once more, under the black sky with itty-bity white specks, Cardin kept one walking, literally not seeing a single soul as he went on with his stroll, his solid footsteps emitting sound to burst and die off throughout Beacon's campus. When he reached the statue where he was beaten down in front of, Cardin sat himself down, yawning as he looking to stare at the stars like a Neanderthal, losing his sense of time from his fascination of star-gazing.

He broke out of the star's enchantment from the sound of approaching footsteps, getting up to look pass the statue to see his teammates having finally arrived, all wearing their battle gear, armed with their weapons, and carrying sleeping bags with them.

"You guys weren't follower, we you?"

"Nope, didn't notice any little _rats_ following us." Dove answered. But Cardin payed little attention to his reply, instead searching their surroundings behind his brothers, his highly-developed eyes wandering about, seeking any unwanted rats.

"... Okay... yeah, it looks..." He trailed off as his vision stopped on a figure, peeking out from behind an archway's pillar, furthest away from him and his team. "No... there's someone watching us- but don't turn around. Don't turn around..."

"... What do we do then?" Sky inquired quietly, obeying his brother's order- along with Russel and Dove doing the same, not daring to move even a finger or toe. The halberdier didn't get answer though, Cardin was just too infatuated with not taking his sight off the blurry, blotchy figure, until whoever it was went back behind the pillar.

"... Okay, they're hiding behind it now. Here's what we're gonna do: I'm gonna run fast as shit over there, and try to chase them off..."

"... That's a crappy plan, Cardin."

"Yeah, well... fuck it, if it doesn't work, then we'll just go back to our room, okay?" Russel did not say a word, again forcing Cardin to assume his reluctance was a "yes."

"Okay... wait here while I..." The behemoth of a ruffian slowly walked around his teammates, who still did not turn around, that is until they heard Cardin break into a sprint. That was when they looked back to watch him cover a distance of about eighty feet in about five or six seconds, witnessing him stop right as he reached the pillar's backside, proceeding to do what his brothers thought was a tackle.

This prompted his brothers to drop the sleeping bags and run over to where they lost sight of their leader, catching the sound of someone shouting before being cut off as the rest of CRDL came closer and closer, eventually reaching their destination to see Cardin, standing over a knocked out Velvet Scarlatina.

"Shit- Cardin! What did you-"

"-No worries, Russel, no worries... I just knocked her rabbit-ass out, that's all."

"Well... hell, man. What are we suppose to with her then?"

"Leave her," was the simply reply Dove got from Cardin, "it's not like anyone will bother her if they find her like this. In fact they'd probably take her to the hospital here if they find her lying unconscious." No one said a word to retort Cardin's idea, making him think they needed a further explanation on why this was the best thing to do. "Listen fuckers, if we take her to her room and her team's there, we'll be asked questions up the ass, or we'll suspected of having done this. We take her to the medical building, same thing will happen. It's all unnecessary trouble, got it?"

"... Did she see you? Before you took her out, like the fucking animal you are?"

"... Yeah."

"Then what's the point? She's gonna know you did it when she wakes up a-"

"-Russel, Russel, I get it. I really do. But the thing is... well, she's not gonna know where we went. Understand?" Russel did in fact understand. But he still stood against the plan of leaving her here all by herself outside unconscious.

"... Let's at least take her inside amphitheater. Okay?"

"... Fuck no you stupid-idiot, we could get caught."

"But-"

"-Shut up, okay? Okay Russel? Shut up. She'll be fine out here. We're practically the shittiest students here, so you don't have to worry about anyone finding and violating her out here, and there'll be no grim out to get her because of... well, you know why..."

"... She'll tell her team about it."

"Yeah, well... let **me** handle them, okay? Now come-the-fuck-on, let's hurry up before anyone else sees us..."


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9:**_ _ **Mercy On My Soul...**_

The four brothers drudged through mud, staining their footwear with stained grass and soaked earth, growing more and more slipper as the rain slathered the ground, and the stars above were smothered by cloud, invisible thanks to the darkness. At some point they were forced to pull out flashlights to help guide themselves with trotting throughout the dark, with the covered moonlight helping them as they moved along through the forest.

The storm came out of nowhere, fast, and made itself know with a blast as one of the trees near them was struck by a bolt of lightning, jolting them as they watched the burning bark was culled by the rain that ensued. After that that encounter with a brush of death, the brothers of Disown kept on marching, with Russel, Dove, and Sky having donned some ponchos of their own. Despite being of a lower quality than Cardin's own poncho, they were still suitable for protecting them from the moderate rainfall.

"This is such fucking shit- screw you, Cardin!"

"What? What the hell did I do?!" Cardin inquired, speaking with a loud tone, just so he can be heard by Sky over the roaring wind and the bellowing of branches, while the four brothers kept on forcing themselves through the storm.

"You were born as a fucking freak, Cardin! If you weren't born with that fucking semblance of yours, we wouldn't be out here to begin with!"

"Okay, Sky, first of all, it's not a semblance you dumbass! It's my blessings! And second, shut the fuck up! You're calling me a freak?! Look at yourself Sky! You're a fucking mess of a human being- Hell, you're not even human anymore, are ya? You're just a sick pervert who enjoys getting his balls kicked by women!"

Sky shoved Cardin in response for chastising him, watching as Cardin stumbled forward a bit, watching him as he slipped and fell face-first into the mud. Lark would continue on with laughing while Cardin pushed himself up, grabbing his flashlight and wiped the grimy ground off of his face, after which he soon turned around to strike his brother's face with the butt of his flashlight, breaking something- Cardin could tell what it was until he flipped his light to point at a now fallen Lark, seeing that he had managed to break his left orbital and knock his left eye out of its socket; it was enough to make Cardin cringe, though he knew there was no need to panic.

"Ohhhh f-fuck! Come one you son of a-"

Russel came in to interrupt the injured Lark, scolding him when he said, "-Sky, shut up! Just put it back in let your _semblance_ deal with it. We need to get where Cardin does his shit before the storm gets any worst!" Sky of course did not take to kindly to being deprived of any pleasure he may have gotten. He went and shoved his eye back into his socket, slightly moaning as he did so. The bluenette kept his hand on his injury while grabbing his flashlight, resuming to catch up with his brothers soon after.

The four students remained silent for three or four minutes to pass by, more than enough time for Sky's wound to heal. CRDL found it becoming more and more of a chore just to raise their feet up to take up from the weak forest floor just to take a step. As it became as such, the wind grew more in a blast of howling, filling their ears while the rain- much to their chagrin- worsen in ferocity, but thankfully barely.

Occasionally, the four brother would bare witness to a bright, silent flash in the sky, creating an immense wave of shadows down onto the surface, before being met with the distant rolling of thunder, none of which being as loud as the first strike that ignited the tree.

"... So, who are you guys going to ask out for that prom?"

"What?!" Cardin shouted, finding it now being more difficult to hear anyone's voice.

"I said: are any of you guys asking anybody for that prom shit? You know, for the Vytal Festival?"

"Shit, I don't know, it doesn't that fun to start with, ya know, having to fucking dance and all. I don't wanna fucking dance all night."

"Cardin you imbecile," Russel started, "you don't have to dance there all night! You can just go there and hang out if you want. They'll have food there and drinks for the students."

"And how the hell do you know that? We were all fucking home schooled, remembered?" Thrush's leader shot inquired, crunching a branch beneath his foot right after asking the question.

"I asked Yang about it." Russel got an "Oh" from Cardin, nodding his hooded head, the rain pelting the black leather and rolling down his poncho.

"... So none of you are asking anyone out?"

"Dove, I don't fucking know- we don't even have any fancy clothes to wear to it. I may have a fucking turtle neck, but that's about it."

Sky replied to Cardin, loudly doing so, saying, "We have a fucking ton of lien, Cardin! We can probably get some swanky-looking suits to wear."

"Yeah, well... then if we buy some suits, then who the hell is gonna go with us to that dance?" Silence was all that the Winchester got from his brothers, prompting him to continue on. "The last time I checked, we're still hated by everyone at Beacon. There isn't a fucking day that goes by where we go through without being the victim of a microaggression."

"Fuckin' microaggressions." Sky repeated, spitting saliva onto the mud to show hatred for microaggressions. Everyone knew he did not care about microaggressions though, just like the rest of them; the brothers just enjoyed treated the whole concept as a joke. Though they could not deny that they themselves do suffer from microaggressions everyday in Beacon. It even happens when they just go into Vale, though it is usually due to their appearances in general.

"... I'd as Blake out."

"What?" Russel shouted, hearing the Dove's voice to be deafened by a sudden, powerful gust of wind.

"I said that I'd ask Blake out!"

Immediately, the statement was met with criticism, coming from Cardin. "Are you mental? Blake? That arrogant little bitch? Why do you want to ask her out?"

"Oh, I don't know, why does any man ask a woman out?" Another flash came, another boom followed.

"What? Yeah, I'll admit that she looks nice for a faunus, hell she's pretty enough for me to hate-fuck, and she's smart, I guess, but that's about it. But you? First of all, I'd like to remind you that she's really not a friend, or even a fucking acquaintance of ours. Blake probably is the only one from RWBY that hates us the most, so why the hell do you think she'll want to got **anywhere** with you in general?"

"Cardin, why would she hate me?! You're the one who terrorized faunus here for some time now! You're the one who'll attack a person just for looking at you funny! It's YOU who she hates Cardin! It's-"

"-That's fucking whore shit, Dove! God you're fucking retarded, aren't you?! Don't you know how society works today? Don't you know that it doesn't matter if you're the one who doesn't bully people, who doesn't make fun of people for their flaws, who doesn't have radical beliefs." They left the dense thicket, exposing themselves out in a small field, with the side of a cliff not to far from them. "Dove, you're my brother. Those degenerates at Beacon may not know that, but they fucking know you associate with me a lot. Because of that, Dove, people like Blake are gonna see you as having the same attitude as mine. They assume you share my beliefs, my values, my feelings, and they'll keep on believing that through out their whole life without ever talking to you!"

Dove stayed quiet as they kept on walking, nearing towards the cliff's wall with every step, a process that was severely slowed, a curse thanks to the ever growing storm.

"... I'd probably ask Weiss out for the dance, honestly."

Now it was Russel's turn for ridicule, starting with Cardin responding, "Are you fucking kidding me? Didn't you hear a word I said?! She'd fucking reject you in a heartbeat! Why the hell would you even ask her to go to the dance with her?"

"... Heh- well, she is the heiress of that dust company, isn't she? If I can manage to to steal her heart, Cardin, then I can get access to unlimited dust."

"... Fair enough. See, Dove, Russ knows where it is at." The sky flashed again, booming as it set a lit to the scene before them: a gargantuan, gaping cave entrance in the wall of the cliff, about as tall as five or six-story building, and sitting in wait, up against the cliff side, were the familiar shapes of Grimm, crawling among one another, and their red eyes all directed in CRDL's direction.

But yet, none were scared, none of them started to fret. Instead, Russel continued on talking. "Yeah... well, Cardin, what you said earlier... I get it. You are right about that shit, and there's definitely people in Beacon who are like that. But not all of them imprint your beliefs and actions onto us, Cardin. You're not giving people enough credit for not being sheep, okay? Not every student thinks that way."

"Yeah, well," the wall of the cliff was only a few meters away now, and the grim, silent, all started to swarm towards Cardin; he always saw them as a black wave with red and white fish, "... Shit, I don't know, whatever. This is where I go to bless."

* * *

The first cracking of thunder in the sky was what pulled Velvet out of her unconscious state, stirring as her eyelids flutters and rabbit ears twitched with the cold pelts of droplets hitting her. She groaned when a throb started to beat within her head, bringing up her hand to feel a welt swelling, poking it and pulling away immediately when it retaliated with pain.

Just as soon as she pulled away, Velvet realized how soaked she had become ever since Cardin knocked her out. She quickly got up while curing, examining herself to find her entire figure to be drenched. The faunus, not bothering to look around to see with CRDL was nearly, made for a beeline towards the amphitheater, ignoring the throbbing getting worse with every step as she ran for shelter from the sudden storm.

Once having reached her destination, Velvet practically slammed her body into the doors to open them, finding the corridor to be empty while she gently panted, shivering from her damp, cold uniform, holding her arms to her side and rubbing herself for warmth.

She moaned, "Fucking Cardin," as she traversed the halls of the empty building, feeling the pang in her head soften just as she started to move at a snail's pace. "I'm going to... gah- damnit, screw that jackass." She clenched her teeth in ire, wishing Cardin was near her vicinity for the faunus to punish. Even though she realized that this was a part of her own fault; had Velvet not decide to go and follow CRDL, then she would in her own dorm room right now, finding warmth and comfort under her own blankets.

But no, she just had to follow them, and Cardin just somehow, beyond Velvet's comprehension, caught sight of her, and managed to get the jump on her. That fact probably bother her the most, that Cardin was able to catch her by surprise. It damaged her pride a bit, seeing herself being pathetic for letting a scumbag like Cardin dispose of her so easily. Even though she never took pride in her own capabilities over others, the feeling of being bested by a bigot like him just made Velvet broil.

However, she felt more fury towards the fact that Cardin and his ghouls left her there outside at the mercy of the elements, rather than taking her inside; she absolutely loathed the rain. Albeit Velvet did not expect anyone from CRDL would care about her own well-being to begin with.

Eventually, the bunny faunus came upon the amphitheater's exit, clenching her fists in spite, wishing she had at least a newspaper of sort to hold over her head. velvet would again take Cardin's name in vein before pushing the doors open, going out in another sprint into the empty, puddle-filled streets of Beacon campus, feeling the blowing winds blast her face and the rain soak her already drenched uniform, her grit helping with tolerating the throbbing growing worst the longer she ran. The occasional flash in the sky would light up the Gothic nature of Beacon's architecture before her eyes, casting down sharp and menacing shadows down on the pavement her feet stepped on.

It took about two or three minutes for her to reach the building home to her team's dorm room, gently smiling as she rammed the doors open with her shoulder, against being met with the lacking presence of individuals. Her clothing dripped water onto the white, smooth floor of the building, their sound only being muffled by the panting of the faunus, along with another boom of thunder off in the distance, which itself was deafened thanks to Velvet taking time to catch her breath within the comforts of the dorm building.

She would soon resume her journey back to her room, her teeth chattering to create echoes to travel through the corridors, her drenched, long brown hair reflecting the lights as it waved with every step she took, squeaking while she did as so. She climbed the stairway until she reached the third floor, still dripping a bit when she finally approached the door to CFVY's room. Velvet would proceed to unlock the door, entering to be immediately confronted by a concerned Coco, pouncing on her like a mother who had just found their missing child.

"Oh my God, Velvet! Where the hell were you? It's already 11:30 and- what is that?" Her leader stopped herself to point out the bump on Velvet's forehead, who only gave Coco a deadpan look, obviously not wanting to deal with her as of this moment.

"... Coco, can you just let me get my pajamas on first?" The faunus asked, exasperated as she lifted her arm up to show how soaked she was.

Her leader, taking a second, would reply with, "Yes," while nodding her head. Velvet would walk pass her, seeing Yatsuhashi and Fox were sitting on their beds while she retrieved a red and pink-striped pair of soft pajamas and a plain white t-shirt. Velvet would go one with entering the room's bathroom, changing in there and coming out in her sleep-wear, proceeding to go and fall onto her bed, falling face-first into her pillow.

"... Velvet?"

"What, Fox?"

"Are you gonna tell us what happened?"

"Gah... yeah... Cardin happened." Her teammates stayed quiet, letting the rain pounding on the window glass fill volume for the room while Coco, staring at Velvet, grimaced a bit, clenching her hands from hearing his name.

She would ask, "What did he do?" in a stern tone, trying her best not to stutter.

And Velvet would answer with, "He... well, I was following him and his team, trying to stay behind as far as I could from them, but-"

"-Why were you following them?" The hulking Yatsuhashi would cut her off, finding it peculiar to hear that his own teammate was following CRDL.

"... At first... at first I just noticed his teammates, they were all carrying camping gear, like as if they were heading into the forest. Of course that dangerous, and even though I may not like them a bit, I still didn't want to see them go out there in such a dangerous environment. But... I just wanted to make sure that they were definitely going into Emerald, so I... stalked them, for a bit, until they stopped in front of the amphitheater, meeting up with Cardin while I hid behind one of those pillars out there. But..."

"..."

"... I guess... I don't know how, but... they must have noticed me following them, or maybe somehow Cardin actually saw me, because he would... he just managed to sneak-up on me, actually, and just knock me out. They then, I guess, left me out there, until I woke up from the thunder..."

"..."

"... So you didn't see where they went, exactly?"

Velvet replied to her leader with a, "No, I didn't. I know I didn't search around, because I didn't want stay out in the storm, but... it was around dinner time when I started following them. So if it's already eleven, then they would have definitely gone to where they were going..."

"I see..." Coco trailed off, quietly blowing air out of her nostrils while Fox asked Velvet if she was alright, which she answered with a "yes." Their leader's mind would just go off into an irate, yet confused train-of-thoughts, sitting herself down as her teammates went on with conversing with one another...

* * *

"Goddamn, it's all going to fucking shit!" Dove shouted at the top of his lungs, sitting on top of his sleeping bag at the mouth of the cave, alongside Sky and Russel as they watched the forest weave and ho from the monstrous wind, seemingly about to fall from an overwhelming force, while the rain took an immense turn for the worst, striking the ground with a mighty wave of droplets that were capable of knocking off leafs. The thunder was however the strongest of all of it, always clapping and breaking sound right over where CRDL were currently residing at the time, sounding like weapons of mass destruction going off right over their heads.

"Yeah! I don't fucking think I can sleep with all this fucking noise!" Sky commented, with an average creep coming from behind and walking pass him, eyes now golden. It shared a look before him, staring at him for a bit until he asked, "What are you looking at?" It wouldn't say a word for a few seconds either, it just stared at him until it went outside into the storm and ran off into the forest, disappearing within the thicket.

"Great job Sky, you scared it away. It probably wanted to sleep here with us."

"Dove, they've all been fucking leaving and going into the forest, so I'm pretty sure they have homes of their own in the forest."

Dove, who had been looking at Lark, brought his gaze down to the cave floor, then back to the outside, watching as the storm attacked all before them. "... You never told us who you would take to the dance, Sky."

"What?!"

"Gah- you never told us who you would take to the dance, Sky!"

"Oh, well, Idon't know," the twisted halberdier bit his bottom lip as he stared out into the soaked canopy of Emerald, "... fuck it, Yang."

Russel would simply ask, "Really?"

"Yeah, I'd... I'd go with Yang."

"Why?"

Sky blew a bored raspberry, thinking up his response for Dove, "... Hell, she's got rockin' tits, that's why." In response, Russel clapped, happy to here that Sky was still a man who only cared for looks. "Fuck off, Jerky boy, you said you would take Weiss to the dance just so you can try to get a connection to free dust!"

"Pfft, Sky, that was a fucking joke... I mean it'd be a positive in having a relationship with her, but there's... still other things Weiss that I like."

"Like how she's a fucking mega-bitch?"

"... That's actually kind of turn for me, really."

"Oh." Three little boarbatusks, no longer than two feet, eyes glowing in gold, scurried pass the three brothers, off into the storm.

"... Well, what about you? Do you only want to take Yang to the dance because of her _voluptuous_ tits? That seems like a waste of time to be honest."

A flash and a booms later, Sky would answer Dove. "... Honestly? Well... it's not that Yang is my only choice, actually, it's more that... I feel like I, or any of us, have more of a chance of going to the dance with anyone from RWBY in general, because... I don't know, it just seems like Cardin, despite what he thinks, actually managed to get a few people to see that he's trying to control himself. He hasn't bullied anyone... well, he has scuffled with a few people still- but he hasn't wronged anyone from RWBY or JNPR for awhile now. Along with him tutoring Yang, and Ruby talking with him a bit now too, I just feel like RWBY are seeing his behavior improve, so..." Sky dropped off, thinking, "... yeah, I choose Yang because I think anyone from RWBY are the only ones who we have a chance at taking to the dance."

"..."

"... Hm, that's good reasoning, coming from you at least." Dove shook his head in agreement with Russel, but Lark took offense to that, becoming agitated that one of the most honest responses he had ever given in his life is seen as a joke from Russel. "I mean, it's a little far-fetched, but-"

"-You told Cardin to give people a little credit for when it comes to seeing the good in others or some shit like that! So why the hell do you think my reasoning is a little _far-fetched?_ " Russel looked back at Dove, whom in turn looked back at him, and both would only snicker at Sky's outrage. The Lark would end up frothing at the mouth as a beowolf came from within the cave's interior, walking pass while staring over at the three with gold orbs, before going out into the rain.

"All right guys! I'm all fuck-ing done!" Just as it had left, Cardin followed it from behind, stretching his shoulders and lumbering towards the free sleeping bag next to Dove, sitting his rump down on it, groaning. "You three been taking care well?"

"Yeah," Dove started, "we've been fine. Just talking about stupid shit, that's all."

"Yeah, I was able to hear you guys from back there. Sky, your reasoning is shit, even if it is true, you're a fucking lunatic to think Yang would want to go to the dance with a scarred mongrel like you."

"Fuck off, you fat cunt! You think it'd be any easier for you to get a fuck date yourself?!"

"Well," Cardin's lips curled into a smug little expression, shrugging his shoulders before continuing on, "I mean, no offense to any of you guys, but... I'm pretty sure I'm the most desired out of any of us. I'm tall, I got muscles, and, unlike you guys, my face is... is pretty good. It's at least smoother than yours, Sky."

"Yeah? Smoother? Sure, whatever. But muscles? The fuck are you talking about? You're a fat bastard, Cardin."

"Sky, just because my... abs aren't well defined, doesn't mean I'm fat."

"Keep on denying that, meat planet.

"... What?" The chaotic storm washed over the victimized-forest with light, and bellowed once more, creating a sense of vibration within the four brothers; for a second, Cardin thought he had seen someone watching them from within the brush.

"Hey, who'd you take to the dance, Cardin?"

The Winchester looked at Dove for a second, before his eyes slowly started to shift over to the outside, beholding a dead stare as he pondered, the image of Coco popping up in his head. "... Well, fuck what I said earlier then, I guess..."

"..."

"... I don't know, there isn't anyone I can... think of anyone to take."

"What about... Ruby?"

"Ruby?" Cardin glanced over at Dove. "Why Ruby?"

"I mean... I'm only suggesting that because apparently each of us would take Blake, Weiss and Yang, so why not have our leaders go with each other?"

Cardin started nodding his head, "Ah, I get it, we could make it like a team... date, thing. All each of us go to the dance with a girl from RWBY, I can see it now."

"Yeah, it'll be a quadruple date!"

"... Yeah, but in all seriousness..."

"...What?" Cardin stared out into the forest, pondering about the idea of taking Ruby to the dance. Did he even want to go to the dance? Not really, he would rather just come back here that night and keep on doing what he's been doing. But if he were to go, should he take Ruby? What about Coco? He knows now that CFVY's leader has developed some sort of twisted feelings for him, she would- in his mind- be the only girl who would go to the dance with him. but Cardin did not want to dismiss Ruby entirely. Cardin has noticed her warming up to him, despite what him kidnapping her at one point, but even then, he has not really interacted with her enough to confidently believe she would say yes to him.

In a moment, he was snapped out of his mind to hear, once more, the bright flash of thunder and bellowing, brightening the forest to the point that Cardin, again, caught sight of the figure he saw earlier, now closer to confirm their presence.

He growled in irritation, quickly getting up on his feet, grabbing his flashlight and pulling his hood up. "There's someone out there."

"What? Are you sure?" Cardin walked out of the cave, not too far from its mouth, lighting up his torch to blast away the dark, reflecting off each droplet to create a white, moving wall of rain before him as it attacked his poncho.

"Yes, I'm positive," he brought his beam to his left, "it was there. They definitely had the body of a person, standing behind the brush." The flashlight was unable to reach the desired area, prompting him to move closer to move closer to the forest, pulling his muddied greaves up one at a time. His brothers would end up pulling their hoods up and grabbing their own flashlights before going out follow to Cardin, their beams of light following his beam as the storm's rage grew worst somehow, getting to the point where the wind was strong enough to make Cardin waver as he walked.

The four ruffians eventually reached the point where their flashlights started to touch the trees, moaning, the leafs, rustling, and the bushes, shivering. Each one started to spread, Cardin staying where he was, Russel going further down the right, Sky going left of his leader, and Dove following him as well. Their hearts knocked their ribs, one becoming more and more hard than the last, as the lights shone upon the forest revealed no one in sight as they searched, building anxiety, their breathing grew heavy, their grips around their flashlights loosened, barely from the rain as the muddled their way through the grass.

"Come on you fucker." Cardin grumbled as his flashlight pierced deep into Emerald's interior, slowly straying his hand, his teeth clenching as he waited to see a face, an arm, a leg, anything to confirm someone is watching them. Curse God if they had ran away already, for it would have all sorts of consequences for him and his brothers. He prayed for it to just be one person, for in his mind, they would have a difficult time trying to convince anyone about their gathering here with the word of a single person.

But then again, if they were to confront Ozpin about this, then things would be different. Ozpin could end up tightening security on campus at night, just to catch Cardin himself as he'd sneak away into the forest,

"CARDIN! I ain't finding anything!" He heard Russel, shouting at the top of his lungs from where he stood.

"OKAY! Let's just..." Russel watched Cardin as he stopped in his tracks, his flashlight beam piercing into the forest, shining upon, "...Coco?!" Just as her name left his lips, she turned and ran, heading deep into Emerald.

"WAIT!"

"Shit- CARDIN!" Russel broke into a pathetic attempt of a sprint through the thick, slimy mud, nearly pissing himself into a rage as he watched Cardin run into the forest, just as Sky and Dove turned around to see him do as such.

"Oh shit!"

"CARDIN, WAIT UP!"

Could it be her? Why is Coco here? Cardin mind entered into an unstoppable stream of thought while he managed his pace throughout the woods, panting from the exertion in his knees, feeling the cold wind clam his face with rain, meanwhile, he barely kept a line of sight on Coco's figure. Her outline falling victim to the splashing, reflecting what little light from the moon was able to pierce through the small, changing spaces between each leaf.

"COCO! HOLD ON!" How could she know they were in the forest? Was it possible that Velvet had waken up and told her leader of what she saw? And whatever the answer was, then how was Coco able to track him down to the cave? It all seemed impossible; this should not be happening at all.

"It can't be happening- **COCO**!" He kept running, forcing his legs tear themselves up, each step blasting out of the muddled forest floor just to only find himself still lacking behind her silhouette.

Her silhouette.

"What the fuck?" The top of her head far surpassed Cardin's height. He stopped himself when he noticed this discrepancy, planting his metal boots into the mud, squishing as he watched the shadowy frame leave him behind, disappearing right as another flash came, lightening up what was ahead to show it had vanish; another boom would follow. "Not this time." Cardin spoke, glad he was able to see the hallucination for what it truly was before he could end up running deeper into Emerald.

"... Cardin." Yet, he heard her voice come from behind him, but he was not startled. Cardin, slowly as ever, turned around, his steps squishing in the grime of dirt, water, and leafs, to see the hallucination of Coco, only a few feet away from him, her back being the only sight for him to see. "Cardin...

He responded, "Hey, fuck off, you're not real. Scram already," and in turn, wind and rain blasted in his face, as is to be expected. What was not to be anticipated though, was the sound of bones violently cracking beneath her skin, as the hallucination spasmed. It grew two feet higher, and Cardin backed two feet away. The vision's arms, veins popping, extended a foot longer, becoming thin while Cardin backed another foot away. Her legs, bending in all the wrong places, extended two feet in length, and Cardin struck a tree with his back, leaving him to watch as the clothes rapidly decayed in disgusting scraps, and its hair fall out, leaving it with but a few strands on its dirtied scalp.

Soon it was naked, its pitch-black skin reflecting off from the thunderstorm's light. The cracking of bone stopped, leaving there to only be the yowling of the storm. as it turned around, its own lips seemingly torn off, to show off its gums. Its whole body was that of a severer case of anorexia, with Cardin being able to see its internal organs pressing up against the skin while visibly lacking and genitalia, and a bright, white triangle, perfect and equal, rested on its chest. Cardin, albeit now a tad on edge, was overall disgusted by it.

"... Absolutely disgusting. I told you to leave already-" It rushed him, gripping his thick neck with long, papery fingers, wrapping around tightly as it quickly brought him up to stare it right in its pupil-lacking eyes of white. "GAH- GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!" Cardin's first reaction followed with the muscles of his right arm tensing up as he slammed a hard fist into the figure's face, actually hitting flesh and bone with enough force to knock the towering abomination a good six or seven feet.

Its grip was, of course, released, letting Cardin fall onto his feet as it staggered and groaned in a woman's voice, covering its face. The Winchester's heart was pounding through out all of this, coming closer and closer to believing that this was no vision, but rather an actual beast, a demon, some foul creation of God, that must be disposed of.

Seeing his flashlight resting on the muddied earth, Cardin rushed for it, grabbing the filthy handle of it to bring up the light at the face of the creature. Only, he found it to have circled him, having noticed him going for his light and deciding to take advantage. It to hold of his leather hood, pulling him up by it. Cardin would only swear vilely before being swung about by the foul cretin with surprising strength, smashing Cardin against mud and trees, while all he could do was use his aura while thinking of how to escape its grasp.

He would not have to ponder for long, for he would soon be thrown incidentally from his hood finally giving in and ripping off. As such, the momentum built up from the thrashing would contribute to Cardin flying into one of the Emerald trees, pulverizing the wood with his shoulder as he broke through and slid against the grime to a halt, leaving him to groan while quickly, and clumsily, pushing himself up to see the freak, still covering the part of its face that he struck, still clutching the torn-off, black, red-lined hood of Cardin's poncho.

The sight of which negated all possible presence of fear for the creature within him, to be replace by unrelenting rage. The straw would break when the creature took the hood in both of its hands to rip it to shreds, falling into the forest floor to be buried by rain and mud.

Cardin roared, feeling his throat scratch and vibrate in protest as he charged, managing to catch the creature off-guard and body slam its lanky frame into the ground using his momentum and aura; on queue, a flash would light them up as Cardin struck the creature, with both of their eardrums almost breaking from the goliath-like boom. With haste, Cardin rushed towards aiming for its head, managing to bust further into its skull with a flurry of elbows, seething with aura.

It was during his blind rage, however, that the monster, in a desperate attempt, took its own stride for survival, and clocked the side of Cardin's head, its knuckled burying into his cranium for only a moment before he flew straight off from the beast, yet being another show of strength. The Winchester would end up yet colliding with the trunk of another tree, this time with his back, leading to immense whiplash.

Both moaned, Cardin rubbing the back of his neck while the beast struggled to its feet. To CRDL's leader, it sounded almost like weeping, as he pushed himself on his feet yet again, albeit taking more time to do so. A huff, and puff, would escape his lips, while he watch it stagger about, clutching the worsened state of its head, further crying as it fell on its own, curling up into an egg shape, sulking as the rain pelted its black body, and mud smudged into the pores.

Cardin came to the conclusion that it was in too much pain to keep on fighting, and as such, his chest became looser in tension, yet he still took his own pace, walking on eggshells as he inched ever so slowly towards his flashlight, which was currently shining upon the broken creature. He could barely hear it anymore as the warring storm went restless over their heads, drowning out the sobbing with its gusts and thunder.

The Winchester, much to his glee, reached his light, bending down to pick it up while maintaining eye contact on the weeping horror, intent on keeping it within sight. But yet, all that it took was another flash from the sky, and the beast before him would disappear, utterly leaving Cardin still as he stared at the emptiness before him, perfectly content with his burnt-orange hair being seeped with water, and lying down- almost falling really- onto the muddy forest floor, feeling every muscle relax within a mere exasperated release of air from his lips.

His gloves rubbed against his face, pulling his bottom eyelids down. Cardin just stared into the blank space, brightened by his flashlight, steadily breathing through his mouth. The storm continued on still, having ignored what took place beneath it, within Emerald, and kept on flooding the forest with its might. Cardin came to accept this to fall onto his back, resting the back of his head on his hands, closing his eyes, and letting the rain smack his exposed face.

"Cardin?! Cardin! Where are you?!" The screaming Thrush only added to the calm within Cardin, cracking a small smile before being lit up by the storm.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:** **I'm a Problem That'll Never be Solved**

Dove, Sky, and Russel sat there, in the amphitheater, among dozens of students, leaderless, as they have been for the previous week. Out, down on the stage, they watched with boredom what they hoped was the last spar for the day, that of which was between Neptune and Reese. The of struggle in combat was what dominated the amphitheater, as for everyone else was rather interest in the spar, so all they spoke in was whispers.

Unfortunately though, Sky, out of nowhere, would disturb the students with a supreme belch, echoing throughout the amphitheater, creating a strong aftertaste of sausage in his mouth while everyone around him grimaced in disgust and annoyance. Except for Dove, who shook his head in embarrassment, sketched with a frown, and Thrush snickered, astonished by the volume Sky deliver that foul sound with.

"Oh, Sky, you're absolutely disgusting."

Dove would be met with a "Sorry" from Sky, smiling with slight discomfort while his eyes wandered about the many faces of students who scowled towards him, soon to look back at the sparring exchange students below, leaving Lark to suck the air through his teeth. He would turn his attention back down there as well, along with his brothers, to watch the spar progress, with the halberdier paying particular attention Reese's hoverboard. "... She kind of has an... inconvenient weapon, doesn't she?"

Russel, in response, focused a tad bit on Reese's weapon, watching as she nearly took Neptune's head off, flying over him as he ducked to only have a few hairs be sliced off. "Eh, I wouldn't call it inconvenient. I'd call it... unique."

"Well, yeah, it's original: flying around on some board that can cut flesh, while being able to transform into a gun. But you can get almost all of that with a blade of some sort that can change into a gun."

"Uh-huh, I hear you." Russel puckered his lips, staring on for a few more seconds. "But... it gives her unpredictability. Like, how many people is she gonna face off in her life who've fought against someone else that uses a hoverboard as a weapon?"

Sky nodded his head, understanding his teammate. "I see, I see. It won't do her any good though if she goes up against a machine gun, or someone that can match her in speed." Just as he finished, Neptune would fire a well-led shot of energy, directly hitting Reese in her side and knocking her off the hoverboard, earning a collection cringes from the students sitting in their seats. "Oof, or someone that can aim, like that water-boy."

"Heh." Was all that came out of Dove when hearing "water-boy," as the buzzard blasted and the lights came on, prompting the brunette to shield his eyes while Goodwitch came down to give her criticism on the two exchange students. Sky would mumble about to hurry up, for this being their last class of today in particular and the three brothers finding themselves wanting to return to their room as soon as possible.

And eventually, they would granted their wish, with the professor announcing the end of this session and dismissing them to enjoy the rest of their day. "Ah, God yes," came out of Sky's mouth, standing up, stretching his shoulders, soon following alongside his brothers into the sea of huntsmen-in-training to exit the amphitheater, bumping and rubbing up against one another until they broke apart outside, in the broad sunlight of a cloudless day.

It was also scorching.

"O-oh fuck, Goddamn. I hope we left the window open for Cardin."

Dove replied to Sky, "He's not a dog, he can open it for himself."

"Yeah, well, he hasn't been very respondent at all lately, in-case you had forgotten. He-"

"-Hey guys!" The bluenette bit his bottom lip, as Russel turned around to see Ruby, lightly jogging towards them, stopping to ask, "where's Cardin been lately?"

His brother, having grown use to the occasional interaction with Ruby, or even Yang, stared at one another, hesitant with how they should answer. Russel would take the charge. "Cardin's been sick lately. But he's been getting better." Thrush would then turn around to start trotting, being caught up by his brothers as Ruby stood back for a few seconds, before running towards them once more.

"W-Wait! What's wrong with him?"

They would not stop walking in the blasting, golden rays, but Russel would shoot back again. "Don't worry, don't worry, Cardin is fine; he's been getting better. Why are you so worried for him? You got feelings for him or somethin'?"

Her cheeks lightly reddened among her answer, as Sky and Dove lowly chuckled at the sight of her face. "N-no. I just wanted to know, that's all. And so did Yang, too."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot about her. Has she been falling back lately?"

"No, she's actually been doing good so far. But she say it'd be nice to have Cardin back." That earn a raised brow from Thrush, looking over at the diminutive leader of RWBY. "She didn't say exactly that, but she does think she'll need him back."

"Ke-heh, need him for _what,_ exactly?"

Ruby, with a huff of air from flaring nostrils, and face becoming barely more crimson, said, "You know what I mean, Russel, tutoring. Stop playing with me like this!"

"Okay, okay, jeez, calm down. Cardin has been getting better," a lie, for Cardin was not sick, "so maybe he'll be back by tomorrow. Or the next day, don't worry about it." None of them knew why Cardin had grown so despondent over the past several days. When they discovered their brother, he had rested himself in the muddy forest floor, with the hood of his poncho torn off, and ripped to pieces.

Whether it was himself that did as such, or something else, the rest of CRDL had been unable to find out. Ever since their return from Emerald forest that one particular night, Cardin had huddled himself in his bed, and grown quite quiet for the week, not answering any of his brother's question. He would not go to his classes either, no matter how hard his brother tried to coax him out, eventually leading to their dismissal of him for the day, only to come back to find him still in his bad. He hasn't even been going out to Emerald ever since.

He would bathe himself, and ask for his brothers to bring him food, so they know he was not troubled to the point of being hesitant to make requests of them, or clean himself. Ruby, sensing that was all she was going to get out of Cardin's brothers, thanked them for their time and separated, proceeding to use her semblance, heading wherever it was she desired to be.

Effectively leaving the three members of CRDL alone to their own silence, remaining as such as they traveled in the heat of day, the beads running down their head slowly, becoming cool when the Disown brothers entered into their dorm building. The air conditioning cooling their bodies as they wandered up the stairs, wandered the halls, reaching their room, and unlocking the door.

Cardin, showing signs of having recently cleaned himself, had himself sat in a chair, in front of their opened window, the back of his head exposed for his brothers to see his burnt-orange hair; he still wore his black, red-lined poncho.

"Hey, Cardin, you've been good."

"..."

"Cardin?" Russel went up to examine his leader, finding the Winchester to have fallen asleep, his mouth agape to expose his sword-sharp teeth and allow saliva to drool down his chin. "Oh, okay." Thrush rudely flicked his sleeping leader upside his head. Cardin would in turn grunt softly, his eyes fluttering open to look up and see Thrush, staring down upon him, visibly, yet slightly, disappointed. Yet Cardin did not know why. "You got your beauty sleep?"

"Grr- I don't know, can you come up with an original insult?"

"Insult? I was just asking a question." Cardin, in response, would flip off Russel. "Gah, why are you such a dick?" Not answering, Carding got up to only go and fall onto his bed, as Dove and Sky sat themselves on their own, leaving Russel to stand there, still eyeing Cardin up. "... Ruby asked about you today."

"Yeah? What did she say?"

"She just asked if there was something wrong with you, and that Yang is going to need you soon."

"Ah, okay. What the hell does Yang need me for?"

"For fucking tutoring, dumbass!"

"Ohhh f- I forgot about that. Shieeeet, did she say Yang was miffed?"

"Ruby said Yang has been able to keep up with the lectures herself, but that she'll likely need your help soon."

"Oh, good, good."

"... Does that mean you'll start leaving the room now?"

"..."

Russel threw his hands up in the air, "Fucking- come on Cardin!", sitting himself down in the chair. "You can't stay in this room forever, just because... I don't fucking know, you tore up your own goddamn hood. If you're fucking scared to go out just because of how you look, then you shouldn't have done that."

For a second, Cardin's arms twinged in ire, as he to spit into Russel's face about what happened to him in Emerald, what it was that had made him for the past week stop going into the forest. But that would prove to be difficult; what is Cardin to say? That an abomination of mystery, that mimicked Coco, attacked him and ripped his hood apart? They would never believe him, and quite frankly, Cardin was not sure if he could believe it himself. For was it really a monster, nothing of grim, that made an attempt at him for his life that night? Or was it actually an hallucination, and did he just do everything to himself that night in a fit of insanity?

It all felt so real, but yet if it were, then what was it that attacked Cardin then? It was again, not a grimm, but yet they are all that humanity knows. Could it be possible that there are more threats out there that they do not know of? Yet, once more, Cardin knew it could have been him that hurt himself, and his mind had just created an illusion that made him believe otherwise. He did not know, and he may never know. And for that, Cardin has found it to be fruitless to tell his brothers of what happened, as he does not truly know himself.

But, he would address what Russel stated nonetheless, with a lie. "I'm not scared of how people are gonna react to my face when I go out there, Russel." He was, somewhat. After his little encounter with Coco, Cardin felt a small flicker of flaming confidence in himself, that however faded a bit as the days followed. As of today, Cardin had found himself, yet again, in the same state of worrying about how people might react to his face.

But yet again, there has always been that part of him that told him to never care about what people think of him, and that has seemingly dictated most of his actions throughout his time as a teen up to this point. It would only collide heads with his fretting of his looks, and continually battle in his head as Cardin fucked about in reality, always wearing his hood over his head.

"Are you sure? Look at Sky," Russel started, as he gestured towards the scarred halberdier, "just fucking look at him. He walks around all day with those scars on him. Or-or look at Dove, he goes out every day, not caring if there's a fucking bullet wound in the middle of his forehead. And me, ME! I don't give a shit about how people react when they see by burnt-ass face! All three of us are disfigured, Cardin! And all three of us don't give a shit about how people think about it! But you, **you**. You think you got it bad, you think your just an ugly ass punk. Yet you're really bitching over nothing. You think you're hideous? WE'RE the hideous ones! We're repulsive-looking! Why all you got are just some sharp teeth, and pure-gold eyes! You fucking think that makes you hideous?! 'Cause it FUCKING, DOESN'T! You're probably the most attractive out of the four of us, yet here you are, acting like a little pussy about it! Like a fucking victim! I you're not scared of how people are gonna react to your fucking FACE, then go out there, and PROVE, ME, WRONG!"

Cardin, chest swelling, found the energy to sit up in his bed, slowly huffing air out of his nose before standing up. Still as a statue, Cardin incredulously stared down at the punk in the chair, who could only return the same glance up to him, waiting for a fist, or a kick, or his teeth clamping down onto his neck.

But all that came was just, "I'm hungry."

And Russel, maintaining eye-contact, responded. "...What? Okay, do you fucking want us to get you food or-"

"-I'm getting it myself." Cardin growled out, clenching his teeth as he turned and headed for the door, opening and closing it without look at his brothers.

"... Shit, I'm going with." Dove would nod in agreement with Sky, both wanting to be there to hold Cardin back if anyone were to taunt him of his looks. They would leave, and in the same fashion of Cardin to not look back at what would just be Russel now, whom sat alone in the room for a few seconds to himself.

"Great, just great." Of course, not wanting to be left alone, Russel took his own leave as well. Closing the door behind him and catching up to his team, led a now-sulking leader, treading with closed fists as they left the building, moving out with the blazing sun over their heads. It proved to be a bad time for Cardin, what with him still wearing his poncho. But the agitation residing within simply overcome his care for being too hot. What mattered now was just proving to Russel that he can remain calm out in public without hiding his face.

And so far, with almost every student that CRDL passed by, eyes were drawn to them, like always. Cardin knew they could just be looking at them because of their image at Beacon. But then again, he knew they could just as well be thinking in their head, 'hey, look at Cardin, that piece of shit isn't wearing his hood. He looks like such a freak.'

But again, the Winchester's attitude of caring for other people blocked that kind of thinking away. Effectively done so, now that he had a newfound fuel of rage to keep him going. As for when CRDL arrived and entered into Beacon's dining hall, that was when Cardin could feel himself nearing the edge. There, he found more students staring at him, but only for a moment before going back to minding their own business, fearing for being victimized by the foul leader for staring at him too long. At least that's how Cardin saw it.

Getting in line, they accepted and took the burgers being served that day, leaving the line with no trouble to sit themselves. Cardin took his first bite out of the burger, finding it to be rather dry.

"Mmph, thith tathe like shit." He would state, chewing up the meat, buns and topping within his mouth as he said so.

"Really," Sky would start after swallowing his first bite, "I think it's pretty good. Also, don't talk with your mouth full, it makes you look piggish. You already got the body of one, don't make people think you are one now."

Ignoring the comment, while looking at the area he bit out of, Cardin shook his head and took another one, coming to peace with this burger of a mediocre-quality. Thrush would keep visual contact on Cardin, impressed, but barely, but his willingness to ignore the stares he had gotten up to this point. He'd then proceed to eat his own burger, joining his brothers to feast in peace, feast in peace, feast in peace.

That was until, Cardin noticed someone walk up to the back of Sky and Russel, looking up to only sigh quietly at the sight of Coco; an expression of disappointment, mixed with anger, etched on her face.

"Hey Coco, is something wrong?"

"Yeah, you fucking knocked out Velvet and left her out in the storm a week ago." Hearing her voice, Cardin's brothers brought their attention to CFVY's leader, having been unaware of her presence, and already sensing the most like outcome of this encounter.

"Oh, yeah, sorry about that. She was just following us and... I didn't want her to see where we were going." His tongue brushed his teeth, as his golden orbs wandered down to see Coco hands, limp by her side, waiting for them to curl up.

"And **why** would you be scared about her finding that out?"

Looking back up at her sunglasses, Cardin quickly replied, "Cause it's a secret."

Asking while seething, Coco inquired, "Why is it a secret?" Her own teeth snaring a bit. It was at this point that Russel and Sky stood up to try their hand at driving the second-year student off.

"Okay, okay- Coco? Listen, now is not the time for any of this, okay? We just want to eat our food in peace, so p-"

"-Fuck you Sky!" Said-man would step back while Coco shouted into his face, flinching momentarily. Noticing from his peripheral, Dove would look to see Cardin starting to grow visibly anxious, shakily breathing, tightening his grip on his pants as students around went silent to gaze on at the scene. AT this point of the year, they expected to see a fight break out, as the usual situations tend to end before them. "Cardin, where the fuck is it you're going to e-"

Dove, wanting to stop her, did as so, hastily getting up from his seat to interrupt her. "Coco! Shut the fuck up! Okay? We just want to eat here for once, without any bullshit being thrown at us, okay? So why don't you leave us be, or I'll absolutely rip you apart." Students waited for Coco to lunge over the table at Dove. They waited, but just saw her head tilt down to look at Cardin, who had manage to tune everything out, staring down at his meal with unfocused eyes, his stuttering breathing being audible for Coco, as pity started to rend against her anger for the secret, staring at him silently, leaving Russel to speak up without falter.

"Coco, just leave us, that's all we're asking. Cardin said he was sorry, so just leave." Her eyes would remain on Cardin, only for the seconds to come, as she decided what to do next.

"... Screw you Cardin, you'll always be a piece of shit." Leaving after that, Cardin's brothers only watched her tensed-up figure, as the students around them slowly returned to their business, staring on until she left the dining hall. They moved on, looking back at Cardin, then to their trays, sitting down with gratefulness for the deescalation of the situation, before Coco could go on any further.

"..." Cardin, as glum as one can possibly be, brought his head to just stare at nothing in particular, staying as such until he went back to eating his mildly-pleasing burger, still dry as expected. "... This burger really just absorbs all of the moisture in your mouth, goddamn."

"... Okay Cardin," Russel shook his head, "okay. I'm glad you're capable of moving on from situations that could result in us being fucked over."

"Oh no, Rus, my distraught is actually immeasurable, and my day is ruined. All I have to look forward to now is finishing this incredibly... dry burger."

"... At least she didn't make fun of how you look."

"... Actually, Sky, she has seen my face before."

Lark's brow raised, with the curiosity of the rest of CRDL spiking. "What? When?"

"... During that sparring match, between Coco and I, we made a bet. If I lost, I would have to leave Beacon. But if I won," his lips sneered, chuckling, still looking down at his burger, "I would get to fuck her."

"..."

"..."

"... Nice."

"What?" Dove looked at Cardin, befuddled, "Are you saying she saw your face before you stuck it in her?!"

"... Yup." Russel started to snicker, completely baffled with enjoyment.

"I can't fucking believe you, I-I... just why? Why would you ever have sex with her?"

"What? You don't think she's good looking?"

"No no, she's... heh heh- pretty, I guess. It's just... just... she was your first then?"

"Yeh." Sky groaned, and that groan transitioned into laughter. Dove would only rub his face, absolutely smiling in bewilderment.

Russel kept on pressing. "Did... did you fucking tell her that she was your first?"

"Nah."

"Oh... oh, okaaaay... how did it go, then?"

"Fine, I just did to her what felt natural."

"... Did you use protection?"

"No." Sky guffawed, Dove's fist slammed onto the table, and Russel's neck jerked back, as his eyes bulged. "Well, it's not like we brought any condoms with us to Beacon.-"

"-It's not that, Cardin! You could have gotten an STD from her! Or- hell, you could've gotten her pregnant!"

"Well, first I didn't get any disease or whatever... because, you know, I don't feel anything burning. And second, I came in her ass, so don't worry." Dove now laughed alongside Sky, tears of disbelief and happiness falling down, as Thrush rested his face on his hands, blankly staring down at the table. "But, don't tell anyone about this. I promised her I wouldn't tell anyone about it, and she promised not to tell anyone how I look."

"... Oh," Russel went back to Cardin, "oh, okay? You made that promise, huh? And now you're breaking it?"

"Well... yeah. But I know you guys won't tell anyone."

"Fuck, yeah, we won't but... just, jeeeez, Cardin. You're just so fucking careless sometimes."

"Hey, I made she enjoyed it-"

"-Shut up," Russel brought a finger to Cardin's mouth, which closed as one would expect, while Dove and Sky kept on booming in humorous joy, "just shut up. Don't talk about it anymore here, okay? Just go back to eating your burger, okay?" The two stayed silent. Russel would pull away to let Cardin resume eating, yet the Winchester did not break eye contact with Russel.

"...She was pretty tight, like a tiger-"

"-STOP! Fucking stop!" Sky and Dove were going to die, they knew it. Only if Cardin kept on going.

"... She made some cute sounds too." Russel threw his glass into Cardin's face, who managed to remain still and stable as it struck him, while his aura protected him. It could not protect his feelings however, as he proceeded to mockingly whimper...


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:** **I'm a Monster, I'm a Killer...**

"Ziz, madam, may we have a word with you?"

"Sure, what is it you two want?"

"Ah, thank you. What it is, Sure-Shank and I, just want to discuss about is... the mission for your children."

"What about it?"

"... We feel as if it won't be appropriate for them to be sent down there, in the structure."

"..."

"..."

"... I'm sorry, did you fucking mean to say 'safe'? Is that what you meant?"

"Well, no, what I mean is that this might not seem to be a suitable mission for the boys to go on"

"Suitable? I'm pretty sure it's fine enough for them to take. They get to explore the ruins, learn some shit about archaeology or something- I don't know, and it'll be good practice for them when they go escorting clients. Not like there's really anything down there to harm anyone to begin with."

"Ah, but they're training to become hunters, Ziz. So wouldn't it be better to have them take a mission-"

"-No, no, shut up Sure-Shank. I think I fucking know what's going on here now."

"..."

"..."

"You two, both of you, are worried about the fucking shit going down there, huh? Come on, am I right?"

"We... Ziz, madam, it isn't about what's happening down there, we just-"

"-Bullshit, it fucking is and I know it. Ever since we discovered that place, you two turn into utter fucking pussies whenever you go down there with me. It fucking pathetic really, especially for you, Richard. Aren't you suppose to be the skeptical type? The one that doesn't believe in religion, ghosts, monsters, demons and shit like that?"

"... People's opinions... they can change, Ziz."

Hohoho- Oh my fucking God! Are you kidding me?! I-I can't... just-"

"-Ziz, please just listen to us! Sending you kids down is-"

"-Is fucking what? Tell me Shank! Tell me!"

"IT'S THE DUMBEST THING YOU COULD EVER DO! You don't fucking they've been through enough already?! Dove, Sky, Russel, losing their fucking parents, only to be adopted by you, and join up with Cardin to be abused for their lives up until they left for Beacon! Do you fucking think sending them down into... that **place,** is gonna do them any good? You've fucking heard shit yourself down there! You saw the shit that happens down there! Do you think they won't be traumatized once they're sent down there?! Don't you?!"

"..."

"..."

"... Shank, those boys, _my boys,_ they're not pussies. They're not people. They Disownians, like you, like Richard, like me. They were already traumatized before I adopted them. And I made them into callous men, men who aren't scared away by noised in the dark or apparitions. I fucking raised them to be fearless in the face of Remnant. And by God, they will be fearless when entering the underground, and discover what else is down there."

"..."

"..."

* * *

Another day to come, another morning of going through Port's ramblings of his misadventures. Another lesson of history with Oobleck, and another session of slumber during Peach's teachings of science. It all would have ended, to CRDL's preferred taste, peacefully, with little to no conflict. But boy did the lord above love to toy with them to his delight.

Last night, after having braved to the outside hood-less, Cardin had finally found the courage to go back into Emerald to go about his business with the grimm, armed with his mace this time, just in case he ran into that foul creature once more. Much to the Winchester's gratitude, he did not even catch a glimpse of the monster among the thicket of trees around him. And as such he came back home to Beacon, with a belly full of hearts.

The occasional image of Coco would occupy him from time to time though, thinking of if she had totally lost interest in him. Admittedly, if he could, Cardin would tell her everything he did, everything he was responsible for doing in Emerald, just as an effort to rebuild the bridge between them. But for his own sake, and his mother's- despite her poor treatment of him- Cardin knew it was far too risky to do so. So as such, Cardin felt he would need to come to terms with the possibility of never getting to be involved in a real relationship with her.

When he returned to his room, to sleep in the little hours he had left, Cardin had woken to find himself a stomach aching, having disturbed after days of not consuming burning meat to grow his power. Cardin would end up rushing to their bathroom, puking out the same old black, steaming, gooey liquid out of him, and into the porcelain throne.

"Dude, are you okay?" Russel would ask.

And Cardin would reply. "W-What d-does it fucking look like, asshole?"

"I mean, shit, Cardin. I just want to know if you're gonna be able to go to class today or not."

"F-Fuuuuckk... yes. I'm- GAH! I'm... gonna go." Cardin shivered out, lumbering out of the bathroom to put on his school uniform, untucked and crinkled, pretty much acting as a reflection of how Cardin felt today.

None of his brothers protested, mostly due to believing Cardin had gotten the worst out of him in the bathroom. And if the urge to vomit were to come up again, they knew Cardin would take responsibility and go to the bathroom to throw up in there, maybe even parish while doing so.

Oh but how foolish they were to think Cardin would be responsible.

They left for the dining hall that morning, Cardin still feeling drained, groaning as they traveled for their breakfast. Just like yesterday, CRDL's leader had earned the wandering glances of several students, whom he was to sick to even notice to begin with. Cardin would end up filling his tray with all sorts of breakfast meats, despite feeling like utter garbage, and would force himself to eat more than he should have. His three brothers resorted to persuading him to stop his over-consumption of food, successfully. But the damage was already done.

After having stuffed himself, the Winchester giant followed his team as they left for Port's class, whom had to slow down and wait for the bloated, sick slob to catch up with them two or three times, teeth chattering the whole time they were outside. Getting inside didn't help much either, what with Cardin's deep heaving filling up the halls for all to hear.

The rest of CRDL had regretted letting Cardin go to class now. The rest CRDL would then however express absolute joyous humor when they entered into Port's class.

"Ah, Cardin! You aren't wearing your hood." The bombastic man stated, staring at their leader, glad to see he him back- having thought Cardin as sick for the past days- and aslo surprised to see the brute's face for the first time, as they entered the class. "Has something happened to it?"

"Yeah, I- Mmmppght" Cardin however, would end up puffing his cheeks out, in anticipation of puking yet again, feeling the burning bile fill up his throat.

Port would take notice of the visible condition Cardin was in, along with several students who had been looking on at the four. "Oh, Cardin, you're still looking quite ill today. Are you sure you'll be able to participate in my class today?"

He was met with a sickly visage, eyes baggy and face pale. "Y-yeah, I'm gonna be fine." Cardin waved off to Port, trotting along to sit with his team, laying himself down by Russel's side. Three minutes to pass, and when having been so, and the last few students entering, Port would clear his throat before beginning his lecture.

It was delayed however, for Cardin, sitting still for the next ten minutes or so to pass by, sweating and grimacing, yet trying to rely on his grit, would round up vomiting yet again. The black liquid, seeping through his fingers in the beginning, transitioning into a full-on cascade of stench-inducing, sticky waste. It would have just coated the desk, and the seat below in front of him, had there been no student sitting there.

But there was one student, Pyrrha Nikos, who had taken that seat for herself, with Blake by her side. As such, she had found herself in the unfortunate predicament of almost her entire backside splattered by the puke that spilled from Cardin's insides. At first, for a flash, she was confused by what warm feeling was coming upon the back of her.

In the next second, the realization took her over, as her emerald eyes widened, frozen in place, as well as her body in general, still as a statue, her face deadpanned, completely wanting to refuse to believe Cardin's bile had came upon her. Blake meanwhile, jumped away in her seat, positively repulsed by what had just happen, as the rest of the class turned their attention, sympathy and horror taking hold of them.

"Ohhhh, Cardin. Oh dear..." Port groaned, watching CRDL's leader head pull back, exhausted from the excess liquid that had left him; Sky and Dove had both found utter shock and amusement from all of it, covering their mouths to muffle their laughter, as the tears of joy streamed down their cheeks. Russel on the other hand, remained still, like Nikos, but was smiling. Though it was a smile of disbelief that Cardin had just thrown up all over JNPR's heaviest hitter. "Cardin... gah- just leave for the rest of the day. And I'll... ugh- call the custodians."

Cardin weakly nodded his head, understanding Port's wishes, clumsily pushing himself onto noodle-like legs. Russel, without saying a word, volunteered to help Cardin with holding himself up, as the two walked themselves out of class, with Port silently allowing Russel to travel by his brothers side, soon bringing his attention to Pyrrha, wondering what dreadful thoughts must be running through her head as of now.

"Miss Nikos, you may leave to clean yourself up." Just like the Winchester, she nodded, thought in thanks, unlike him. She quietly left the lecture hall, hearing the dying sound of muffled Sky and Dove, being the last thing she heard, bouncing withing the walls of her skull as glorious rage started to build up within her.

The two of them would stop eventually, having earned themselves some fresh contempt from the other students for their apparent joy of watching a student be coated by puke.

And so, Russel assisted Cardin back to their dorm room. With his arm draped over Thrush's shoulders, the two slumped their way over to the building, Cardin, much to Russel's chagrin, reeking of his own puke on the whole way there. When finally reaching their room, Russel told Cardin to shower and stay in their room for the rest of the day.

"Okay, okay." Cardin lied to Russel though, and ended sitting out the next class he had- Oobleck's history lecture- and went for the third class, science. Russel was admittedly miffed when seeing his brother go against his own request. But he did nothing to make him go back. If Cardin wanted to go to the rest of his classes today in his sorry-state, fine, Russel was not about to go and take Cardin back himself for a second time.

Russel was only more pissed as he watched his leader just fall asleep in the middle of Peach's lecture, whom herself had actually noticed. She also noticed that Cardin looked so sickly that she took pity on him, and for once decided to just let him sleep during her lecture, just as long as he did not snore.

As the bell ringed throughout Beacon, CRDL got up to head for their last class, not expecting much to happen for them since they've been excluded for pretty much the past few weeks or so, mostly due to there being so many students that not everyone can spar at least once a week, unless they were to go about it during their own time. Which, CRDL never really did, or not at least actively, instead choosing to spend their free time eating, watching T.V., or using their scrolls.

Anyhow, the four Disownians were not expecting to happen for any of them during this class. Simple and foolish that was though, for not thinking Pyrrha wouldn't seek vengeance, although to give them credit, they all expected her to be the type of person to not seek reparation for something so frivolous as Cardin throwing up on her.

Yet again, no one appreciates being thrown up upon at all.

"Alright, to begin our session today, I'll be taking volunteers to start our sparring. Is there anyone who would like to participate in the fist spar of the day?" The blond professor would inquire all of the class, and immediately, Pyrrha answered to her call, volunteering herself for the first match of the day. CRDL pay little no mind of it, again not believing Pyrrha to be the one who harbors desire for punishment.

"Well then, is there anyone who would like to volun-"

"-Actually, Professor Goodwitch, I have someone in mind already." Russel furrowed his brows, being the first to feel the fret encroach in his mind.

"Oh? Who is it then?"

"Cardin Winchester."

Russel groaned worryingly, as he, Sky, and Dove looked over to their leader, as other students around did the same, to see the Winchester just as he brought his head up from a slumping position, clutching his stomach as he spoke. "W-what? Someone say my na..." He would gaze down over to see Pyrrha, staring back at him, stone-cold as ever before. "O-oh, okay. I see."

"Mister Winchester, do you accept Pyrrha's challenge?" Goodwitch was, as everyone else, able to tell Cardin was having one of his weakest days. She could tell he was going to have a difficult time sparring in general, let alone against one of the finest first-year students like Nikos. Yet still she gave him the choice to accept Pyrrha's challenge, knowing that Cardin was most likely trained by his mother to put up decent fights when suffering from a sickness.

"Now hold on!" But Dove had a different opinion. "Excuse Professor, but Cardin isn't in any condition to fight. He's been sick for the past week and has still yet to make a full recovery." Again, another lie to come. "It wouldn't be a fair spar."

Pyrrha, on point, would fire back. "If it's not going to be _fair_ for him. Then why don't you three go fight by his side against me." A wind of whispers, did Pyrrha really just challenge all of CRDL to a fight? The challenge had stirred up commotion and anticipation, while the brothers of Cardin just stared at Pyrrha, baffled by her audacity.

Then Cardin bellowed, coughed, heaving, as he just laughed at Pyrrha, soon to be joined by his brothers in a symphony of cackling that grinded the ears. "Ha ha ha haaaggggh! Ho God! Ugh- you-you arrogant bitch- **CAAAAGGGH!** " A little bit of black goo seeped into his mouth, to which he spat out. "Ho ohohoh... if you want CRDL, _Nikos,_ then you'll get CRDL. We accept the challenge." Pushing himself, Cardin stood up, joints cracking while he stretched his neck, his brother following their lumbering leader as they left for the locker rooms, Pyrrha staring on as they left, feeling her heart uneasily thump, ever so, thinking what she was to do against them.

"Uh, Pyrrha," Jaune, concerned for her well being, snapping her out of her head, "are you sure this is a good idea? I mean if you want, we could just make it us versus them if you want."

She wouldn't look at him, she just clenched her fists. "... No, I'm gonna do this Jaune, I'm going to beat all of them." Arc almost wanted to tell her that this was too much trouble to go through just because Cardin threw up on her, he really did. But the tone, the sound, the weight of her voice hitting him, why, Jaune felt fearful of criticizing her at this moment. Thus, he let her walk away without protest, as he, Ren, Nora, and RWBY looked on at her, knowing well the mistake she made. Even if Cardin was sick, he still had his three, ruthless brothers fighting by his side, three of which- excluding Sky- whom semblances have been completely unknown ever since they came to Beacon.

They held the element of surprise on Pyrrha, the strength to overpower her, and the numbers to flank her on all sides. But yet again, Pyrrha was more of a tactician than any of them, and her semblance- unknown to CRDL as well- was going to give her some advantages on her side. But even if she was one of the strongest first-year students at Beacon, that fact would pose little of a dent against the one of the strongest first-year teams at Beacon; this will be anything but easy for her.

"So, how are we gonna go about this?" Sky questioned his pale leader, as he adorned his armor.

"We- cooooghh! Oh God- we're gonna... we're just gonna be absolute cunts."

"What?"

"Cunts, Dove. What I mean is that don't stop attacking her, always make sure there is one of us biting at her ass. Keep her on the edge the whole time." Cardin, silent with the occasional choking on puke, continued on with equipping his armor.

"... Is that it?" Russel started, "The plan is to just not give her any breathing room at all?"

"Uh- hofh! Y-Yeah. That's it Russel. If it takes us more than five minutes, or if one of us is s-somehow eliminated, then that's when you and Dove start using your semblances, understand?"

"Yeah."

"Yup."

"..."

Cardin, with his golden, baggy eyes, looked over at Thrush. "Russel, it's not like there's any other way to go about this."

"... Well, there probably is. But... can't we just use our semblances when we go out there?Like when the match starts? This is Pyrrha after all, not just some schmo that we could overpower easily. That doesn't mean we can't, but... it seems like we'd be done with this much faster if Dove and I used our semblances right as the match starts. We'd take her by surprise, and just absolutely obliterate her."

Cardin, Dove, and Sky, brought their eyes from Thrush and onto each other, taking in his suggestion for a second or two to pass by, before the halberdier commented on it. "I mean... we can. But that just seems to be a little mean honestly."

"A little _mean_? Pyrrha asked for this, Sky! She wants to fight the four of us! So why not give her the goddamn best that we can do?!"

"Well, Russel- caugggh- it's just that I... I-I don't know anymore," he rubbed his forehead, stomach churning against the meat, "God- fuck it, yeah, do it. I j-just want to be done with this as fast as possible honestly." Cardin pulled his mace out of the locker, noticing the trouble he had with carrying it efficiently in one hand with his current condition. "Damn- you also know what to do Russel, right?"

"Tch," the Thrush creaked with annoyance, knowing what Cardin was talking about, "I know, I know."

"Good, 'cause I want you to do it when the match starts."

"... Why?"

"It'll catch her off-guard, baffle her, shit like that." Carding flatly stated, as Russel gave an "oh," understanding his point. "Oh, and do it slowly too."

"... Dude, you know how much it fucking hurts?"

"Yeah, I know, but it'll add to the trauma Pyrrha has when she sees it."

"... Fucking fine."

"Welp... I guess we're ready. Let's go do it."

"Yeah, let's go bully Pyrrha." Sky exclaimed gleefully, being the last in line as the brothers left the locker room.

Dove responded to his masochistic brother. "We're not going to bully her, Sky."

"Well, it's four-against-one, Cardin, this isn't going to be a fair fight for her."

"The other students probably think otherwise." Bronzewing mumbled quietly, finding him with his brother in the lower area of the amphitheater, the raised stage before them. Strolling up onto the platform, Pyrrha stood still across from them, her face aloof, staring down the four ruffians, at their scarred face, grinning sadistically back at her, save for Cardin, grimacing in all of his painful existence.

The blonde battle teacher inquired of the boys, "Are you four ready?", and they responded with an affirmative nod of their heads. "Miss Nikos, are you ready?" As she stared daggers, specifically into the slumping leader of CRDL, she silently nodded her head too, tightening her fingers, holding onto Milo and Akouo, biting her tongue, relishing for the lights to go out.

"Then you five may begin." The surrounding lights vanished, leaving the five to face each other in surrounding darkness. It was a few seconds after this that Pyrrha's detached expression broke in befuddlement. So too did every student up in the stadium as well, watching Russel undressing himself, while his teammates stood aside and watched him to so, looking a tad bit annoyed as they waited for him to finish.

He would stop after taking his pale-green shirt off, showing off some actually decent abs- not as impressive as Sun's, staring at his brothers, absolutely confused. "What the fuck are you all doing?!"

Sky answered, giving a small smile as he spoke in an innocent manner. "Nothing, just waiting for you, that's all.-"

"-Fucking go fight her!" He shouted, his face reddening, irritated at the jackassery of his family, while they started to snicker; Cardin ended throwing a coughing fit though.

Nikos, having enough of this dicking-around, yelled at CRDL, her face also becoming crimson from the sight of a half-naked Thrush, "Why the hell is he undressing himself?!" To which Cardin, annoyed by her question, responded with a request, as Russel resumed with taking his belt and pants off.

"Shut the hell up, Nikos!" Ziz's son, using up all the strength his current state could muster, twisted his arms back, holding his mace, and flung the weapon into Pyrrha's direction. It gave her about a second or two to activate her semblance and gently push the weapon down, seemingly making appear to only land short, clanging as it skid to a stop at the redhead's feet, having been looking at it until so, before looking back up at Cardin, looking as if he had lost hope in his own capabilities, while Sky gave a thumbs up.

She had never been so exasperated than ever before in her life.

"That was pretty good, Cardin. I'll give your effort a... light three." Dove sighed, shaking his head at Lark and Winchester, moving onto closing his eyes, focusing all of his energy into the center of his forehead, the mark of the bullet, as Russel finally stripped himself to his boxers. He rubbed his hands vigorously, mentally bracing himself as he began his transformation.

His breathing turned into harsh, disturbingly loud panting, that soon transitioned into hoarse screaming, scratching groaning, as he fell onto his knees and hands, with the sound of bones breaking, sounding ever so loud with crisp snaps. Two spots on his shoulder blades bulged, growing bigger and bigger. The same happening for the front of his skull as well, until the skin exploded, blood spewing out all over the floor, making way for a large, angular-sharp, yellow beak, rowed with small white razors.

His torso gained more in bulk, as his legs stretched, feathers sprouting out from the roots of his skin, appearing mocha-brown. His wrists, his hands, his feet and toes, breaking apart and forming talons, clawed into he floor below, still being stained as his human body shed its skin. His muscle, rippling against one another, coated in brown, his eyes, brown turning into pure black orbs. Finally ending with the wings, magnificent in size, as long as Cardin is tall, burst from within to spread, for all to gawk at, in shock, awe, and disgust, having just watched a bloodbath take place before them.

In the end of it all, with the screeching coming to a halt, Russel's fallen form rose, standing a good three or four feet over Cardin, glowering over towards their opponent. As it all took place, Dove meanwhile, having stayed quiet in peace, despite all the horrid screaming, finished with his mental ritual.

The bullet scar of his forehead, taking shape of a glowing eye, blasted his sword, Sky's halberd, and Cardin's fists with a bright, white, cosmic glow. A sinister grin etched itself on the Winchester lips, seething with his black bile as he coughed.

Pyrrha, on the other hand, was not pleased at all. Never in her life has she felt this much demoralization, at the sight of Russel morphing into a a great beast, while Dove seemingly enchanted everyone with God-knows-what. Her teams, her friends, every students who wanted to watch CRDL get the asses handed to them, all stared on, their confidence in Pyrrha having been shot in the head and thrown into a fire, to cinder and flame, to ash.

What has she gotten herself into?

A slaughter, one would reply.

"Well guys," with one step forward, Cardin spoke through chattering teeth, "go get her!" He, to the left, Sky to the right, and Dove in the center, charged in a chorus of battle cries, in pincer formation, as with tense muscles, Pyrrha stanced herself, slowly stepping back with her shield raised and spear forward, slowly focusing her attention on Dove, who was closing in on her the fastest.

Russel, however, with an ear shattering screech, launched himself into the air. As Nikos quickly looked up, just at that moment, Thrush flapped his mighty wings, sending himself straight at the redhead. In total horror of the sight, Pyrrha jumped back ten feet or so, as Milo shifted into its rifle form, barely getting away as he came crashing his talons down into the stadium floor, creating hair-line crack that reach to her. She'd soon pull off a few good shots, hitting into Russel's skull, deflecting off of his aura.

Dove took advantage of Russel landing before him, sprinting as fast as his pudgy body was capable of. Closing in, he ran up the hunched over bird-beast's back and jumped, holding his glowing blade over his head. Seemingly to Pyrrha, he wasn't going to reach her. A foolish thought however, as when the brunette landed, slamming his sword onto the floor, a body-wide line, of the same cosmic glow, formed and reached even pass Pyrrha.

Not waiting for a microsecond, her heart skipped as she immediately rolled to her right, once seeing the floor brighten beneath her feet, just in time to watch it explode into an everlasting glory, reaching up several meters high before dying down.

"HYAAAAAA!" There was no time to rest, as Pyrrha hear Sky scream behind her, turning 180 to see him, twirling like a madman, holding his energy-infused halberd out as far as possible, heading right her. Yet instead of retreating, Pyrrha did the opposite, running towards, taking the risk of attempting to parry the insane brother.

CLANG! And success had come, as the halberdier found himself stopped, while Pyrrha used her semblance to keep the halberd down for a second or two. With haste, she brought of the rifle against the bottom of his chin, forcing the infuriated bluenette's head to crane back as she pulled the trigger. Skull, skin, blood, brain, and eyes flew out, as Sky's body fell back to repair itself, temporarily giving Nikos one less man to worry about.

"You bitch!" Cardin! How could she have forgotten him, as the brute came and slammed his foot into the back of her knee, just a second after she had just blew open Sky's head for students to cringe at.

With a grunt, as she was forced onto one knee, Cardin hastily wrapped his arms around her neck- again, being in a poor condition to fight, into a rather weak choke hold, in the sense that it gave her enough room quickly shift her head and bite down onto an exposed wrist of Cardin's. "Gah- you little-" Instead being sane- when has ever been such a thing- Cardin resorted, as one would expect from him, to chomping down into her neck, overexerting himself to put more pressure into it, as he listened to the Pyrrha blood-curdling screaming, piercing into his head.

What a dreadful sound it was, as it drilled further and further, until Cardin could bare no more. Releasing her from his teeth, Cardin clutched his ears, stumbling back and forth, all round, as his head started to ring. Pyrrha on the other hand was now in full panic, quickly regaining her footing, panting like a dog in heat, as she noticed a monolithic shadow looming over her.

"F-Fuck." The redhead dashed forward, listening as the floor behind her was completely pulverized by the roaring Russel, while keeping her eyes forward to Dove, off in the distance, holding his sword forward. Not wanting to give him the chance release a barrage of bullets upon her, Pyrrha opened fire first, still running as she did so, but now in a circling motion, upon the brunette swordsman.

Yet Dove remained still, holding his left hand forward now to project a rectangular great-shield of the white, cosmic energy, appearing to just absorb the bullets as they struck it, almost like as if it was a doorway. Needless to say, Pyrrha's ire grew evermore, as her heart's own thumping became immense, as she changed Milo back into its spear form, while taking Akouo back into her left hand, preparing to charge into Dove.

"BRRAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Yet the booming beast caught her attention, catching Russel, in the corner of her eye, much to her dismay, and the shock of students watch, literally ripping out a car-sized chunk of stone out of the floor. His feathered biceps swelled, as he lifted the gargantuan slab over his, eyeing up Nikos, who, as she watched the beast perform this feat of strength, reverted Milo into its javelin state, changing up her strategy as she stared right at Thrush's arm, pulling her arm back, ready throw.

But what is this? A glow beneath her feet, that tightened around her legs? A lasso, that of white the same white glow as, "...Dove!" Pyrrha's distraught, yet enraged emotion, manifested itself as she looked right back at Dove, wearing a shit-eating grin. With a violent pull, he tripped Nikos onto her rump, dropping Milo, right as Thrush finally threw the stone chunk, giving no time to lift up Akouo. All Pyrrha could do was activate her aura, and brace for impact, with students, distraught from what they were about to see.

The crash blasted throughout the amphitheater, rubble scattering among the stage, dust, ashy as it spread to wherever it felt. Dove and Russel stood still, watching, holding their breath, waiting, Bronzewing still had his glowing whip wrapped around her legs, not wanting to give her the chance of escaping.

Though he'd forced to do so, as the buzzard rang throughout the arena, and Goodwitch shouting, "That's enough! That's enough!" Bronzewing released the whip, the glowing of their weapon, as the mark of the bullet died out, leaving him to breath in relief, the dust settling before them. He looked around, finding Cardin having regained his composure, yet still coughing out black ooze as he retrieved his mace, then at Sky, his mangled, bleeding, shattered face halfway done with regenerating itself. Dove almost laughed at the sight, watching his partner having trouble with getting up in such a state of disrepair. Cardin would eventually make his way over to help up the halberdier.

Dove would for a moment, bring his attention to the crowd of students, studying their faces. Horrified by the power, disbelief for the lost of Nikos, some even looked amazed by the spar, probably more-so by Russel than anyone else on CRDL, it isn't everyday that one see a human transform into a beastly sight. He managed to catch sight of Jaune's face, that of demoralization at its finest, looking as if he wanted to run down here and check on Pyrrha.

"All right Sky, let's get you up." Groaned Cardin, clutching his stomach while grabbing the blind Lark by his hand, pulling him up to wrap his arm over his shoulder. "Dove, go get Russel's clothes." Sighing, of course he had to do it. Dove, bringing his attention back to his surrounding, began his search for the clothes of Thrush, gathering each piece, as the blond professor helped up Pyrrha from the crate Russel had made. Her aura had protected her from most of the damage, leaving her with small cuts, scrapes, and bruising, nothing that aura couldn't fix.

Dove stopped looking at the beaten champion of Mistral, shaking his head, wondering what on Remnant made Pyrrha think taking on all of them was such a good idea.

"Dove, let's go!" Cardin would shout, not caring if Goodwitch wanted them to stay for her critique on the spar, carrying the recovering Sky, followed by the hulking Russel. Bronzewing hurried up to catch them, leaving the eyes of students just watched them go, with a new-found sense of fear for CRDL having been developed today, while also thinking of how big their ego was going to be after this.

Though, if you were see the face of CRDL, they would appear to be rather miserable honestly. Cardin, still suffering from last night, half of Sky's face was just still missing, Russel, having reverted back into his normal self- naked of course- right after they enter the locker room, looked disappointed in himself, for which he was, mentally ridiculing himself for missing Pyrrha just a few times. Dove, out of all them, was the only one who felt a sense of pride in their victory, having been the one who managed to incapacitate Pyrrha long enough for Russel to hit. Though with how every one of his brothers looked, his mood was brought down to their exhaustive and disappointed level.

"... Well," yet, Dove would still say, "we did it. We beat Pyrrha."

"Yaaaay." Went Cardin, with agony.

"Woooo..." Russel let out, exasperated.

Sky would just make an absolutely abhorrent sound of gargling blood, as it still dripped from his mangled head. Cardin would instruct him to, "J-Just sit down, Sky," to which he complied, letting himself rest on one of the benches, as Dove handed Russel his gear to put on, letting Dove to sit himself down as well, next to Lark. Cardin leaned up against his own locker, letting his head fall to moan, bouncing off the mostly empty room. "I... I feel like shit."

"Yeah, well," Russel finished putting on his eyepatch, "maybe you should have stayed in the room like I told ya. Maybe then, Pyrrha wouldn't have gone and challenged the whole team." His sentence ended just as he face up to Cardin, lifting his head up to scowl at the punk.

"She only challenged us because _you_ pointed out that it wouldn't be a fair fight for me!"

Russel moved himself closer, forcing the Winchester to fully bring himself up, standing tall in agitation. "Oh, are you insinuating that you would have rather fought her by yourself?"

"That's not what I'm saying you CUNT!-"

"-Guys, guys!" Dove put himself between the two, pushing them away from one another, yet still eyeing one another with dirty looks. "Guys! Stop this, okay? We won, we managed to beat Pyrrha Nikos. It shouldn't matter how we beat her, or why we had to fight her to begin with. All that matters is that we won, and brothers shouldn't fight one another after a victory, got it?"

"..."

"..."

"... Tch- c'mere, c'mere, group hug guys, group hug." Dove held his arms out, smiling with a fatherly nature, as Cardin and Russel still shot daggers into one another, their fist clenching, breathing loudly. But reluctance, they accepted the offer, slowly turning to Dove, and rigidly, came into his open arms, all three wrapping one another with brotherly love. "There we go, all good, all good, bring it in."

As they patted each other's back, Sky joined in, bring close to them his curdling, almost reformed face of inhumanly smooth skin, eyeless, with incredibly small lips, stating: "I love you guys." That's when his brothers broke away, visibly gagging when seeing his face invade their personal space, even gagging at the mere sight of the freak. "Ah guys, come on, that's not ni-"

The creaking of doors stopped Sky, yet he could not see who it was that had entered the locker room, leaving his brothers to look back and see Pyrrha, in her broken state, with Jaune by her side, accompanying her to her locker, watched by CRDL, before looking back to their own business, except Cardin. His gaze remained upon the beaten champion, looking, looking, as she sat herself down, Cardin could only how humiliated she must have felt. So pitiful, to be such a prolific figure to the public eye, only to be squashed by four no-names from a former prison island.

Albeit no one, at least as far as Cardin was aware of, knew CRDL hailed from

That is why, after seeing her open her locker, that Cardin decided to trot over to the two students, gaining Jaune's attention first, as he looked to see the Winchester moving in on them. For the second time, ever since Cardin came here to Vale, would Jaune dare to scowl at the brute, getting up to stop Cardin from coming any closer.

"Cardin, just leave us alone." Nikos turned her head when hearing those words, her pained, green eyes looking to see her leader, arms crossed, blocking Cardin from her, as he sighed in vexation of the blond.

"Jaune, I'm not gonna hurt her. I just want to congratulate her." Jaune opened his mouth, about to retort the towering thug, only to stop when recognizing he said congratulate.

"What?" Yet Pyrrha would speak up, standing up to look Cardin into his golden orbs, almost losing herself in them for a second. "What are you talking about?"

"Nikos, you... you challenged the four of us. You stepped down there with us. Fought against us, never looking like you were about to quit. Anyone else would have probably given up once seeing Dove and Russel use their semblances, but you didn't. And for that, I congratulate you on going through with what you say." The two, baffled, took in Cardin's words, finding it almost hard to believe he was being legitimate in this case, as he turned to walk away.

Hesitantly though, Pyrrha replied with a shaky, "T-Thanks, Cardin," out of politeness, still not sure if he was genuine, while earning herself a little nod from CRDL's leader.

"There's no shame in losing against a team, Pyrrha. Don't let this defeat get to you."

Wishing to no longer be near them, Cardin left, not because he didn't want to be near. But because it felt like he was standing on needles. Curse this life I was given, Cardin would think in moments like this, and curse those hearts as well. When returning to his returning to his brothers, whom watched him from afar, curious of his action, was met with a question from Dove.

"What were you talking to them about."

"Oh, stupid bullshit about not being ashamed of losing to us, something like that. Anyways, let's... let's just go already, it hurts to stand."

"O-oh." The four, without taking another gander over at the two, left, Sky being guided by Dove, as his eyes had yet to return, forcing him to hold onto his partner's shoulder with his hand. Though when entering the hallways, CRDL found themselves muddled, watching dozens of students as they left the amphitheater. "What... what's going o-"

"- Hey!" CRDL, looking to their back, saw Ruby approaching them, stopping in front of Cardin, "you guys did great out there! You four were the first to ever beat Pyrrha, so congrats."

"..."

"..."

"... Mmm," Russel sucked the air through his teeth, kind of off-put that Ruby was congratulating them on beating her friend up in front of the whole school, "yeah, we are. But it was still four against one, so there's not much to celebrate. But thanks though."

"You're welcome." The petite girl looked back up at Cardin. Just like Pyrrha, she would be slightly taken hold by his eye; such mysterious orbs, that Ruby thought no one could ever be born with such eyes. "I'm glad to see you're all," Cardin turned his head to cough some of his black goo into his arm, "... good, Cardin."

Sniffling his nose, Cardin said, "Thanks. Oh, hey- you know why is everyone leaving all the sudden?"

"Yeah, Goodwitch canceled rest of class today, because... well, you guys made a mess with the arena, to the point where it was unusable."

Chuckling, Sky stated, "Nice, very nice," grinning, at the thought of how much of a mess they left, since he was blinded and incapacitated for a good portion of the match.

Cardin, clearing his throat, spoke, "Cool, well, thanks for telling us Ruby. We'll see you around." With that, CRDL walked around the little leader, feeling relief of getting to go to their room early, relishing the comfort of their own comfy beds.

"W-Wait!" But, irritatingly so, Ruby apparently still wanted to talk to them.

Looking back, Cardin trying his best to not sound agitated, simply asked, "What?"

"I... are you guys gonna... go to the dance this weekend?" Ah, the dance. After having found against Pyrrha such a one-sided spar, they had almost forgotten about it, what with losing themselves with the thrill that comes with combat..

"Oh, uhhh, I don't... I don't really think any of us are gonna go, we don't have any dates, no suits, we don't even like dancing."

"I like dancing."

"Shut up, freak." Cardin ordered Sky, making him whimper like a dog, just the way his leader liked it.

Ruby's large, grey eyes would wander to the floor, as she said, "Oh, okay then. I under-"

"-Unless..." Cardin pondered, thinking, thinking, wondering if he should, and soon concluded, "... you would want to go to the dance with me." Russel, eyes widened, stared up at the back of his leader, as Sky laughed in a rather creepy chuckle, and Dove, standing still, waiting to hear what Ruby said, as he watched her cheeks blush, the corners of her lips slowly reaching for her ears.

"I... y-yeah, sure! I'll go to the dance with you." Cardin, smirking rather than smiling, giving Ruby a glimpse of his pointed teeth.

"Nice, then I'll see you there." With that, now CRDL could finally leave, turning back around, resuming to their room once again, as Ruby was left, staring at those broad shoulders of Cardin's, her face reddening further as scandalous thoughts ran through her head.

"So... you're just gonna forget about Coco then?"

"Yeah... I mean hell, I haven't even seen her for the past few days really."

"I think they were actually sent on a mission."

"Well shit then, she wouldn't even be able to go then. It's not she'd say yes to me anyway."

"Yeah, you're right about that..."

* * *

"All right you two, you got your things packed."

"Yes, Ziz, ma'am, Sure-Shank and I have packed the things we'll need for our trip."

"Good, good, by tomorrow, I expect you two to be at Beacon to inform my boys of what their first mission will be. Do I make myself clear."

"Yes, madam."

"Excellent, now go get going, I'll be head to Dion tonight, like always."

"Mm-hm, yes, we'll see you again, soon. Oh, and Ziz."

"What?"

"I... would like to apologize for waking you up this morning with our concerns. I-"

"-Richard, apologies are for pussies. Don't you be one right now. I understand your concerns, I really do. I understand why you are concern, and I respect your opinion. But mind decision is final. It always has been, and it'll always be, remember that."

"... I will, Ziz..."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: Not the Baddest Girl I've Ever Seen... **

The streets of Beacon bustled with rushing students, conversing with one another, sitting benches, going through their scrolls, or resting on the grassy knolls, eating lunch and such. Among the students, one would unmistakably catch sight of that minty-green fresh, mohawk-esque hair of the Thrush boy, wearing his battle attire, hands in his pockets, paying no one any mind, his eyes squinting in protest of the blinding light today. And by his side: Dove and Sky.

It was such a peculiar morning today, when they awoke from their sleep to see Cardin, already dressed up in his armor, going through all the lien they had.

"Cardin, what are you doing?" Russel would ask.

Not looking back, he answered. "I'm just getting the lien needed for our suits."

"... Our?"

"Yeah, as in all four of us."

"... O-okay, why are you getting us suits?"

"For the dance, dumbass. I'm gonna go into Vale and get the suits, while you three go out, find Weiss, Yang, and Blake, and ask them out to the dance."

Dove, rubbing his eyes, said, "Cardin- jeez, you know we really don't want to go to the dance, right? We were just naming the people who we'd take to the dance."

"Yeah? Well... I'm still buying the suits."

"Cardin, please-"

"-Fuck you Sky, you three are going out there, and you are going to ask them out, understand? If Ruby said yes to me, then you all have a chance too."

"Cardin, Ruby said yeah because she's probably didn't hurt you feelings, she probably feels sorry for your existence, or maybe she fucking developed a bit of Stockholm's syndrome when you kidnapped her. As for Yang, Weiss, Blake, they have no reason to go out with us to the dance. We ask them out, they're gonna say _ew, why would we want to go out with you guys? You guys are assholes,_ or something like that."

"..."

"..."

"... Sky, you sound like a faggot, just... holy shit." Russel shook his head, loudly huffing, upset with Cardin's attitude right now.

"Cardin, we just woke up, can you just... not act like an asshole, for once?"

Puckering his lips, tilting his head to the left, then right, pondering the question. "... No. Go put your shit on, get out there, and ask those bitches- women, women, out. That's an order from your leader, and big brother." With that, Cardin left, wallet full of lien, heading for the city of Vale not saying another word, as his three brother sat, exasperated, desiring to wring Cardin's neck right now.

Fast forward few hours or so, after having dressed into their gear and eating breakfast, the three ruffians- much to their agitation- set in their journey to their destination, having caught wind that RWBY themselves were responsible for setting up the decorations of the dance, taking place in the spot where all first years spent their first night: Beacon's own ballroom.

"I don't want to do this guys. I don't want to go to the dance." As they trotted, Sky started complaining, he chest swelling with annoyance. "I wish Ruby rejected Cardin, maybe then he wouldn't be so eager to go to this shitty dance."

" _Yeeaah, yeah, yeah,_ " Dove would start, "just... just go with it Sky. We might as well do it for Cardin's fat ass, and hope they say no."

"Jeez you two, I know the dance doesn't sound that fun, but hell, you two could at least find some positives for once." Just as he said, Russel had no desire to go to the dance, but he was willing to admit there being perks for doing so.

"Like fucking what?"

"Well, Sky. If - for you- Yang says yes, and if she enjoys going to the dance with you, maybe she'll... wanna hang around with you some more. Maybe go on a few dates even. Maybe you'll find someone to spend the rest of your life with."

"Pfft, that sounds stupid."

"Or, _or,_ is she enjoys it a lot, maybe there's a chance that you'll get laid. Hm? Does that sound good?"

"I don't care about that shit," Bronzewing plainly stated, "I don't care about any of that. It sounds nice, it really does. But I can live the rest of my life with just you three dysfunctional shits."

"Oh, okay, so then what **do** you care about then? What the hell do you want Dove? What does Dove Bronzewing want " Russel inquired incredulously, hearing the air being sucked through Doves's teeth, as he wondered.

"I... I don't fucking know..."

"..."

"..."

"... I was hoping for Beacon to be different. I was hoping Vale would be different. I was hoping anything would be different once we came here. And it turns out I was pretty fucking right. Instead of going out everyday and fucking around in town, we just stay in our room, sitting and watching T.V. We'll go out to the cafeteria to eat, the library to studies sometimes."

"Yeah."

"Mm-hm."

"Hell, back in Disown, we were had friends man, people who loved us. Richard, Sure-Shank, Pig-Stain, Tango, Kelly, Timmy, Jimmy, Bimmy, Aria, Dion, Draco, fucking- even Ziz cared about us, at least enough to adopt us. They never saw us as repulsive monsters, or-or hooligans. We were like a big family back in Disown! But in Vale, in Beacon, people are repulsed by us! The way we look, the way we act, almost everyone hear both are scared to come near us, and hate us to the point that if it was legal, they'd probably lynch us!"

"..."

"..."

"I-I just... I just hate it here. I always wanted to go see what was out there, beyond Disown. And when given the opportunity, it turns out it sucks monkey fuck, students just fucking each other, loathing us, playing games in the library, it all pisses me off. This place just makes me want to go back to Disown, and never leave from there again..."

Russel, his eyes widened for the whole duration of his brother's rant, gently pressing his teeth down onto his tongue as he took it all in. Sky was just frowning, eyes staring at the street beneath them, staying quite as a mouse, until lowly speaking, "I want to leave too." Russel missed his home as well, mentally acknowledging the point Dove made, missing all of the people he knew back on Disown. Missing going out in town and messing about.

"... Yeah... well, maybe things will get better you two, who knows. We didn't what is acceptable here and not when we came to Beacon. But... we've gotten better, at... _behaving properly,_ I guess."

"I heard Cardin actually knocked out one of the exchange students at the library, apparently on the first day he started tutoring Yang. And he didn't tell us about it." Sky flatly commented.

Russel, almost chuckling at the thought of Cardin keeping it a secret, shrugged his shoulders. "Well... that's bad, I'll admit but I'm sure he had his reasons. Other than that, none of us been acting out lately."

Dove brought up, "You're also forgetting about him puking onto Pyrrha."

"Now that was an accident. Cardin didn't mean to do that; he wasn't feeling too well that day." A _"tch, tch, tch,"_ was what Russel was met with. "It's true!"

"Yeah yeah, I know it's true. But it still isn't socially acceptable."

"Whatever." It was during the discussion, having lost track of time, the three Disownians stumbled upon the building home to the ball room. Enter into it, traverse through the halls, until you come to the set of doors, into which the ball room lies; from the other side, they could hear the heiress herself, shouting about something, muffled to them.

"So... we just go in there, ask them out, and then leave?"

"Yeah. Or, we could also help them out..."

"..."

"... Nah, nah, nah." Sky expressed, going for and pushing the doors open, baring them sight to a decorated ball room, pinkish-red drapery strewn about the golden chandeliers, little bunches of baby-blue and pink balloons tied up at pinpoint area to give a feel of symmetrical effects, chairs of white coloration and sturdy, brown-wooden tables, placed with one another, while a speaker system was currently being set-up for the music. Near it, there sitting at a table, depressingly one could add, was Ruby, while Weiss was talking to her, with two table cloths set-up in front of her leader.

It would be Sky's whistle, in response to how everything was designed so far, that caught the attention of the two partners, their faces being etched with surprise to see the three brothers strolling in; Weiss appeared to be irritated by their presence, yet from poor judgement on the brother's part, they could not tell of this. "Mmph, this place is looking pretty _gooooood,_ so far. You're all doing a nice job."

Sky's compliment, albeit not phasing her, was met with a somewhat low "Thanks," from Weiss, as she wrapped her arms under her chest, "but I'm positive the three of you aren't here just to give us _praise_."

Russel, noticing the venom behind that word- ignoring it, said, "Yeah, uh... you would be right, Weiss."

"So then what is it you three want?"

"... Uh..." Russel looked at his brother behind him, whom immediately motioned for him to continue on, prompting his to look back, into her ice-blue eyes with his own, "Weiss, you uh... would you like to go to the dance with me?" He could see brows on Ruby elevate, staring at his with wide eyes, before bringing her gaze to her partner, who merely stood still, no visible reaction on her face, no anything to give off a sense of how she felt.

Just as she opened her mouth to speak however, the blond, brawler of RWBY would step in, holding over her shoulder a massive speaker box, stating, "What?! Oh my God- you two would make such a cute couple together!" It was after that she recklessly set the speaker down, effectively disturbing the surface beneath everyone's own two feet, putting them off balance for a few seconds, as Yang went to wrap her arm around the pale Schnee. "Weiss! You should totally go out with him!"

"W-What are you going on about?!" Weiss incredulously inquired, pushing Yang away as she asked so, doing little to bother the blonde anyhow.

"It'd be so perfect! You, Weiss Schnee, a classy girl who grew up in a rich, fancy, powerful family, well-raised and well taught, expected to by daddy's perfect! While Russel is the bad boy that comes in, whom your dad absolutely loathes, woos you off your feet, giving you the thrill and excitement you so desperately crave in your boring life!"

"..."

"..."

"... W-What are you talking about?" Russel inquired, one brow raised, with a few beads of sweat rolling down the scorch-scarred side of his head. "I mean, keh heh- you sound insane, Yang."

"Aw, come Russel, you don't get it?"

"Get it? Get what? Is it a Vale thi-"

"-Look, Yang," Weiss cut him off, "I already told you this before, and I'll say it again if I have too: I already have someone in mind."

"O-Oh," hearing him, Weiss swiveled her head back to Thrush, a look of disappointed-acceptance washing over him, that somehow made it uncomfortable- more so than before- looking at him, "you have someone in mind already?"

Keeping herself to sound void of any emotion, Weiss, still staring straight at the one-eyed student replied. "Yes, Russel, that is what I said."

"If we guess who it is, will you tell us?" Sky jokingly asked, to be received with nothing but glances of irritation from Thrush and Schnee.

"Sky, shut up, okay?" Lark raised his hands, nervously smiling in response to Russel, before Yang came back in, teasingly so.

"Well, Russel, if Weiss doesn't want go out with you, then I'll accept your-"

"-Uh, actually Yang," being her turn to be cut off, Lark came in between the two, knowing where she was gonna go, meekly smiled as he said, "I was going to ask _you_ if you wanted to go to the dance with me, actually."

"Ohhhhhh..."

"... Is that no?"

"No no! I-I'm not saying no, but I just-"

"-Yang," Ruby, somewhat scolding, called out her sister, "you were just talking about how Weiss should accept Russel's invitation, while you're starting to sound apprehensive with accepting Sky's invitation."

"Well, yeah- but this is different!"

"Oh? How is it different?" Weiss, mimicking her leaders tone, quizzed the blonde. "Do _you_ already have someone in mind? Has someone else already asked you out? Or are you just disgusted by Sky and his scars?"

"N-No! It's none of that! I-I just..." Her violet eyes darted to her surroundings, her cheeks becoming her sister's namesake, her mind rapidly trying to come up with an excuse, all the while the three brothers watched the scolding, silently waiting as Yang finally sighed, her back hunching a bit before she straightened herself out, looked at Sky's dark blue eyes of the scared face to say, "... I'll think about your offer."

"Okay," Lark, with small enthusiasm expressed, nodding his head in satisfaction, "that's pretty good. At least I haven't been completely rejected like you." He directed the stated towards his burn-victim of a friend, visibly irking him, but barely.

Thrush would tell him to, "Shut up," plain and simple, as the two turned their back to start walking for the door, while Dove stood back, confused, prompting him to bring up the following.

"W-wait! I didn't get to-"

"-HEYOOO!" Only to be cut short as the doors flung open, revealing both Neptune and Sun, entering the ballroom. Their somewhat jokingly faces falling flat into seriousness when seeing three of the CRDL boys already in the area, as Sun questioned "What the heck are you three doing here?"

Sky, immediately on instinct, replied with, "I dunno, why does Neptune dye his hair an atrocious bright blue? Or, why do you constantly wear an open shirt?"

As smug as he can be, Sun answered with his teeth flashing, he and Neptune having stopped a few feet away from the brothers. "I grew up in Vacuo, it's a pretty hot place over there."

"Hmmmm... Okay, fair enough, let's go."

Just as Russel and Sky resumed for the door, Dove busted out, "Hold on! I never got to ask Blake out!"

"Oh shit, that's right." Russel turned around, just to see worried looks on the three members of RWBY, all sharing worried, yet also confused looks with one another, yet Dove did not see them, since being focused on his two brother, offended that they would easily forget about him. Though there was Sun and Neptune, exhibiting a near-identical expression when compared to the three behind Dove. "What? Did something happen to her?"

Sun, with caution, choosing to leave out one little fact, would say, "Uh... no, not really. It's just that Blake has been saying that she doesn't want to go the dance, so... _yeaaaahhh..."_ Please don't how I know. Such a phrase would constantly repeat itself in his head, watching the brunette, narrow eyes staring straight into his soul, mouth as flat and thin as a mere line.

"... Oh, all right then." Just dismissive of him, Dove shrugged his shoulders, and thanked Sun for telling him. "If I didn't know that, I probably would have had to spend the whole day trying to find her, only to be told that. Thanks mate." He passed by the two exchange students, not bothering to look back when joining his brothers, not looking when joined by him, leaving, listening, as Sun and Neptune finally started to converse with the rest of RWBY, once feeling comfortable enough to do so...

* * *

"Woo boy, this where he is?"

"Yes, Sure-Shank, in Beacon tower, up top lies the office of the headmaster."

Leaving from under the streetlamp, one of many in the muddled, dark blue and bright orange that was the twilight, stood Richard, a decrepit, tanned, liver-spotted old man, bald, with his scraggly, scratch inducing beard of grey shades, almost standing at six feet, dressed in thick, hooded, rustic-brown robes that reached to his feet, lined with gold, and on the chest, a bird of similar design that would be found on the chest piece of Cardin's armor. On his back, attached to a strap over his shoulder, hung a great-sword, its silver hilt leading to a blade completely wrapped in stained bandages.

"Mmph, this place looks nice from the inside." By his side, as they entered the tower, was Sure-Shank, incredibly burly, standing well over six and a half feet. His hair, jet black, combed over his head, with a small ponytail on the back, so sleek that one would think of it to be filled with grease. His face, ridden with stubble and a bleached handlebar-mustache, with a small black patch on his chin, was rather long, yet somewhat strong, with high cheekbones, and eyes hidden by sunglasses. He clothing told people that he was a simple man, wearing a dark-green, button-up shirt, one size smaller than it should, beneath him he wore light brown khakis, and black dress shoes. He too carried a suit-case, as in the other hand was a mere metal sphere, tipped with a purple gem.

"Ah yes, well, anything out of Disown looks good to us, now wouldn't it?" Shank nodded his head, agreeing, as Richard pushed a button to open one of the elevator doors. "To the top we go." His wrinkled digit pressing the highest number, watching to doors close in front, listening to the elevator vibrate with life. "It's been quite awhile since I've been here; what such advancements they had made here. I wonder if the office is any the same as I remembered last being in it."

"They probably sold all of the shit you had in there before being sent to Disown, probably your weapon too."

"Ahh, I wonder what happened to it. Everyone was given back their own weapon when we became a vassal, except me. At least Ziz had provided with this one, before her own was returned."

"Hmph, all she gave you was a stick wrapped in toilet paper, old man. That damn thing would probably break when used against a modern weapon today."

"... You are probably right about that. I'm surprised she was able to find such an old blade to begin with."

 _PING_

"Come in." Shank gave Richard one glance, a thick brow risen, before looking back. The two former prisoners exited the elevator, heading out in sight for Ozpin, sitting at his desk, looking up to see the two men before him. "Gentlemen, is there something I may help you with?"

"What? You don't recognize me?" Richard inquired innocently, to be met by the headmaster forehead furrowing, as he studied the features of the old man, his face, his blue eyes, his robes, focusing on the crest, gaining a sense of familiarity with the image of a golden bird. "I mean, I was sure you were student of the academy when I was running it."

Hazel eyes immediately shot back up, widen; it was all coming to him now. "... Richard Smoke?" The old man grinned, showing his yellowed teeth, a few missing. "My... it's been so long. The years could have done better for you."

"Ah hah, yes well, being sent to Disown changes one, both in body and soul." With knees shaking, Richard would take a seat in front of the headmaster's desk, his bones cracking; Shank would come to assist him with such a simple task.

"And I'm assuming you're... Sure-Shank, was it?"

"Yep, Sure-Shank," he sat his suitcase down to shake hands with the headmaster, his callous skin touching one-another before he sat himself down as well, "but you can call me Shank for short."

"Well then... Shank, Richard, I thank you two for stopping by my office so we could discuss about this... mission Ziz wants her children to go on."

"Yes, yes, I'm assuming you've read over the description?"

"I have, Richard, I have."

"... Well, do you have anything to say about it?"

"It's seems to be a mission suitable enough for first-years; guiding an archaeologist through newly discovered ruin could be a good start for those four to build their knowledge on how to properly escort a client. But, I can't help but think of how CRDL would react to being told that they won't get to choose what their first mission will be."

Shank was quick to speak up. "Oh no no, don't worry about that. Those boys are pretty easy-going with almost anything, hell, they only care about food most of the time. As long as they're packed, they'll be golden."

"... Hm, well, whether that may be the case or not, that _also_ isn't my only concern about this mission. I couldn't help but notice that there being any mention of CRDL being accompanied a professional huntsman or huntress."

"Is that a problem, Ozpin? There isn't any... _clear_ danger at the ruins. They are heavily guarded by soldiers and hunters alike, and Disown has been seeing a decline in Grimm-activity ever since it won the war. There isn't much danger there at the area that would call for a professional hunter to be present."

Soaking in the old-man's explanation, Ozpin smoothly replied. "I understand your point, Richard, but it is protocol for first year students to be accompanied by a professional hunter. I can't, against my ethic, let them go on their first mission without any supervision from one."

Instead of protesting, Sure-Shank, right on the dime, said, "Shit, I'll accompany them then."

"You?!" Richard, breathing heavily for a bit, turned in his seat, slightly grimacing, "You want to accompany them?"

"Yep."

"You're perfectly fine with going back down?"

"Mm-hm, just as long as I'm not alone down there, then I'll be fine."

"Is... there a reason for you to be uncomfortable in the ruins by yourself, Shank?"

Looking back at Ozpin, Shank said. "Oh, yeah, I just don't like to be down there by myself because the place is haunted." Richard's head fell, pinching the center of his brow, as Shank remained silent, ignoring the elder by him.

"... Haunted?"

"Yeah. As in... hearing voices, sounds, coming from nowhere, seeing strange lights and orbs, sometimes we'll see apparitions down there as well. It's nothing too dangerous like poltergeist or shit like that." Not as far as they were aware of. But Shank excluded that, waiting for Ozpin's response, as he sat stoic, not moving a muscle, while Richard still felt irritation, shaking his head, whistling air out.

"... I see. Well, that'll make for interesting mission, now wouldn't it?" He said, cracking a small smile, before continuing on. "Well, Sure-Shank, albeit I appreciate your offer. I'm... afraid I can't send you onto a mission with any student. The Council- of Vale- has... rather made it clear to me, in particular, that they don't want any hunters from Disown."

"Oh..."

"But, I do know of a man who'd be fascinated by such a mission..."

* * *

"All right guys! I got the suits!"

"Yaaaaay..." Russel longingly cheered, pumping his fists in a weak-fashion, as he lied on his back in his bed.

"Where'd you get them from?"

"I don't fucking know." Cardin crassly answered to Dove, laying his bags down onto the floor, near his bed. "So, did you guys get your dates?"

"Weiss said she already had someone in mind."

"Yang said she'll think about it."

"Blake doesn't want to go to the dance at all."

Cardin smiled, taking in the deflated answers he got, moaning nervously. "So... does that mean you guys aren't going to the dance?"

"..."

"..."

"... I don't know Cardin, how about you just show us the suits first." Cardin would do as Russel said, just staring at him with worry for a few seconds, exhaling and crouching down to take the suits out, one by one, presenting them on his own bed for his brothers to examine, all double-breasted, all with shawl-lapels, with their own ties. At least that's what the sales-person told Cardin, who did not have a clue of what any of those words meant. "... Are you fucking shitting?"

"Excuse me?"

"Cardin... those suits are abso-fucking-lutely hideous." With cruelty, Russel stated, "I mean, baby-blue? Light orange? Fucking plaid and- what is that, mint green?"

"Yeah, the mint green one is mine, actually, I liked it. So I got it in my size; the other three are your sizes."

"Fucking- why? Why Cardin? Why did you waste lien on this shit You could have just bought normal black suits for all of us. Why do you have to fucking botch the simplest of-"

"-Quick being such a dick, Russel." Dove commanded his brother, getting up from his bed to examine the suits up close, soon to place his hand on the light-orange piece. "I mean... I like this one, it looks nice."

"I call dibs on the plaid." Sky proclaimed, as he plucked it from the bed and held it up to his body, trying to get a sense of how it would look on him. Meanwhile, Russel just stared at him, looking as if he had just witnessed one of the most offensive acts humanity could ever achieve.

"Are you two kidding me? This stuff looks like shit! Hell- the two of you were earlier today throwing hissy-fits about not wanting to fucking go to the dance! Now both of you are just-" Thrush was met with the baby-blue suit being thrown on him by Cardin, covering his head.

"Yeah, well, there's your suit Russel, deal with it." Out of spite, Russel threw it down onto the floor with spite, as Cardin watched, his stare void except of contempt.

"Russel... pick that up now."

"..."

"I paid money for that Rus, pick it up now."

"..." Feeling his neck twitch, Cardin went to pick up the suit himself, to slowly, and gently, put it back on top of Russel's head, as Sky and Dove snickered.

"There you go, all patched u- OOFFF!" Russel would proceed to tackle Cardin onto the room's floor, resulting in the two brothers to end up wrestling one another for dominance. As one would expect, Cardin easily got the upper hand once he recovered, quickly locking his arm around Russel's neck, laughing as he watched the lithe boy struggle in chagrin.

"Say uncle you little bitch."

Knock knock knock

"Fuck you! Fuck you, you fat cunt!"

No one, save for Sky, heard the knocking on their door. And so without even looking through the peephole, as Dove watched his two brother still wrestle on another, Lark opened the door, only to say, somewhat nasally, "Awww hell yeah!" Catching the attention of his brothers.

"What? Who's there Sky?" Cardin inquired the halberdier, who moved aside to let in Sure-Shank and Richard. "Oh shit! Hey fellas!" Cardin would release Russel, leaving him on the floor while he and Dove greeted the two men with handshakes and hugs. "What the hell are you two doing here?"

"Ah, Cardin my boy," Richard started, taking the task himself to just sit onto Cardin's bed, resting his old bones, "we just came to visit you four to deliver some news."

"News? What kind of news?"

Sure-Shank answered Dove, smoothly informing him as such: "We came here to tell you four about your first mission you'll be going on."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"... Going on? I thought we get to pick the mission we go on."

"Well, normally Cardin, you'd be right about that. But..."

"..."

"... You're mother felt as if this would be perfect for you four to go on as your first mission."

"And what does she want us to do exactly?" Inquired Thrush, having stood himself up, brushing his vest, yet still paying attention to Richard as he went on.

"Well, my boys, a... little while ago, about a month or so. Some of the miners in the Whitefury Mine, made an... rather impressive discovery. That... of an entrance, that leads into an... underground city of sorts, ancient, abandoned, and incredibly large. The mind ended being converted into a site for us to delve into and explore."

"Oh shit, really? Did you guys find any cool down there?"

"Oh Dove, oh..." Richard started to rub his mouth, smacking his lips before exhaling. "We've been finding so much down there, skeletons, pottery, paintings, flimsy records, why, trust me when I say this: you won't believe what's been hiding under Disown all this time. It will surely rewrite everything we've known about our history as a species."

"That sounds fucking awesome! I wanna go explore some ancient ruin-shit!"

"It does sound pretty neat." Cardin would nod in agreement to Sky and Dove, finding the idea of going down into some underground city-of-sorts of an ancient civilization to be quite exhilarating, if it were really to have an impact on human history. Russel however, albeit finding the idea fascinating, was not as nearly excited as his brothers.

"Ah, but there's one thing you're forgetting Richard. The ruins are haunted." Like that, all of the smiles faded into confusion, skepticism, if one would. Among, Russel would scoff in amusement.

"You kidding me? Haunted? As in what? Footsteps? Voices coming from nowhere? Seeing people who are half-invisible? That kind of bullshit?"

"... Well, yeah, pretty much that Russel."

"... So it's really haunted then? Is he bullshitting us Richard?" The whole time, Richard was focused on the floor until Thrush called for him, making the old man look up, looking hollow as he stared dead into Russel's only eye. "Richard?"

A toothy grin. "Keheh, I... I never really did finish listing everything we've been finding in the ruins now, did I. Thrush?"

"..."

"I do hope it doesn't... discourage any of you, the thought of... facing the unknown, but just kn-"

"-It's sound awesome!" Cardin would cut Smoke off, at a volume that made the old man flinch a bit, gritting his yellowed, remaining teeth. "Sorry, sorry. It's just we've been so bored here that anywhere else **_but_** Beacon would sound like an exciting place to be."

"Hmph, does every one of you agree with him?" Sure-Shank got a confident _yep_ from Sky, Dove firmly nodding his head smiling, yet saw Russel, with a mere roll of his eye.

"Yeah, sounds better than staying at Beacon, I guess." He got up from his bed, heading for the door.

Cardin asked, "Where you going?"

And he would lie, "I'm just gonna get a snack from the dining hall. I'll be back."

"Okay." Close and shut, as his footsteps were muffled by the walls...

* * *

Just tell her exactly what you said. No ridiculous schemes, no pick-up lines. Just... be honest.

Jaune would recite that to himself in his head, as he traversed throughout the academy, the night, starry sky with the broken moon above, and lamp posts, guiding him, as with each his step he took threatening to become that of joyous skipping from his new-found confidence, as with him he held a white rose, its plain petals acting as a fine service for the moonlight to be deflected off.

This is it, he would think to himself. Just tell her, just tell Weiss, how you feel- honestly feel about her. Present her with the rose, colored as her own being's sake, and inform her that you are simply enamored by the most gorgeous girl you had ever laid eyes upon, that her knowledge, her skill, her gracefulness, her melancholy-inducing voice, is all that you could think about, and that all you want is for her to go to the dance.

Perfection, a plea filled with raw emotion, Jaune would think to himself. And if she still rejects, then at least he can have peace knowing that at least he got all of it off of-

"-OOFFF!" Just at the entrance of a hallway, Jaune bumped into a student who had just turned the corner to hit chests with the blond, love-stricken boy. As both fell down to their rumps, Jaune could see who it was indeed. "Damn- Jaune, watch where you're going!"

"S-Sorry Russel! I was just busy thinking..." He trailed off, as both of the first-years pushed themselves up onto their feet, stretching anything that took the worst of the brunt.

"About what, exactly?"

"I... uh..." Russel's mildly agitated stare was brought down to the white rose in the hand of JNPR's leader. "Well, you see, I-"

"-Neptune!" Right as Arc heard that voice, in the skip of a heart beat, he hid himself by ducking behind the columns outside of the hallway, meanwhile, fueling his ire, pulled Russel down with him.

"H-He-" To be quickly muffled by the blond's own gloved hand, prompting the Thrush boy to about give the Arc a proper thrashing, until he noticed Weiss run by, missing the two out of her eyesight. Both of them would peak their heads around the corner, watching as a now stopped Neptune was being confronted by the Schnee girl.

"Oh, uh, hey, what's up?"

"I know this is a little unorthodox, but... I wanted to ask you something." The two would watch, the realization of what she was going to say slowly creeping up on them as Weiss put her own hands behind her back, trying her darnest to look as sweet as possible. For Thrush, a second realization would come to him, as he took note of the look of dread that was imprinted onto his face. "Would you like to accompany me to the dance tomorrow?"

That was it. That was when Jaune could not take it anymore and quietly walked away, leaving behind both his white rose and Russel, whom remained for but a moment to watch Neptune act like a buffoon, nervously rubbing the back of his head. Then Thrush, looking down at the rose, then towards the demoralized Jaune, quickly went and plucked the fallen flower, before running to Arc, missing what Neptune would have to say.

"H-Hey! Jaune! Hold up!"

"..."

"Jaune... you were going to ask her out, weren't you?"

"... Y-Yeah... I was."

"Tch, well... shit man, I'm... sorry, bro."

"... Thanks..."

"..."

"... I was going to tell her how I feel, how I really felt for her, you know. I was going to tell Weiss that she's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life. That her talents, her intelligence, her voice- her singing is just amazing, her... -GAH- fuck! I w-was gonna tell her everything. But... but I guess she had someone else in mind."

Just as she said earlier to Russel.

"... Well, I'm sorry Jaune, I can't imagine how you're feeling right now, but..."

"..."

"... Jaune, what would you say, if I told you that there is a girl, close to you, that looks up to you with admiration, just as much as you looked up to Wei"

"Russel, just... j-just shut up, okay? I'm just going back to my room, where I can just go to slee-"

"- **What if,** I told you, that there is a girl, on your _team,_ that feels to you just as how you feel towards Weiss. That she looks up to you everyday, constantly, always visibly longing for you, everyday, as your dense-ass head completely ignores it somehow."

"... Russel, just leave, me, alone. I don't want to-"

"-You stupid idiot- JAUNE! What if I told you that your partner wants you all to herself, Jaune!"

"... P... Pyrrha?"

"Yeah, Miss Perfect herself. Mistral champion and celebrity, Pyrrha Nikos, wants you Jaune."

"H... how do you know? Huh? How the hell do you know?!"

"I know she does, Jaune, you dumb, thick, oblivious CUNT! Because everyday, every-FUCKING-day, as your thick, fucking skull doesn't acknowledge it, Pyrrha looks at you with the biggest puppy dog eyes I've ever seen. Like holy shit Jaune, my team, my brothers, we're constantly dumbfounded by the fact that you've been able to go through this whole semester without noticing the longing-glances Pyrrha gives you! And I'm pretty sure Ren, Nora, and all of fucking RWBY notices it too! YET I guess none of them have the common sense of telling you about it!"

"..."

"Jaune... listen to me. Pyrrha likes you, she respects you, she probably finds every little quirk about you adorable, and it makes her want you. Yet every tie she sees you, or hears you, talking about Weiss, about how much you _admire_ her, it probably makes Nikos feel exactly the same way how you just felt when listening to Weiss ask Neptune out."

"... Is.. I-Is it r-really true?"

"It's about as true as the fact that fire took my own eye, Jaune."

"... But, but... Pyrrha. We've... we've been friends this whole time. She... she told me to go tell Weiss how I really felt about her."

"She probably did that because just as much as she finds you adorable, she probably wants you to be happy. Yet here you are, your heart shattered, when you didn't even GET to ask Weiss out."

"... Why wouldn't Pyrrha ever tell me about how she feels about me then, huh? Why hasn't she ever told me?"

"... Why? I don't know. Maybe she's more of a coward than either of us thought. But, you know what you can do right now, Jaune?"

"Ask... ask her out? To the dance?"

"Well aren't you Captain Obvious."

"What... well- what am I suppose to even say to Pyrrha? After everything she did for me?"

"What do you say?" Outside of the door to JNPR's own room, they stopped, as Russel took Jaune's hands, and placed the fallen white rose into his palms, while whispering. "Tell her that you changed your mind, and that you'd much rather take her to the dance than Weiss."

Whispering as well. "What... what if she asks me why I want to take her though?"

"Don't worry about it Jaune, it'll work. I promise."

"..."

"Now go in there, and do it. Just... **do it**." With a pat on the back, and a firm nod of acceptance from Jaune, the Arc boy opened and closed the door, leaving Thrush to press his ear up against it.

"Hey Jaune! Did you ask Weiss out?"

"Uhm... no, not exactly."

"Oh..."

"..."

"... Well, it's okay Jaune, I-"

"-I didn't ask her out because... because Pyrrha."

"..."

"I realized there's someone I'd much rather take to the dance, and it's you."

"... Jaune."

"Pyrrha, will you go to the dance with me?"

"Oh... yes Jaune. I'll go to the dance with you."

A silent _boo-yah_ was mouthed from the lips of Russel, who couldn't help but find himself smiling in the rare glee one has from helping others with their troubles, often absent from the humans or faunus of the modern-day

"Not bad Russel, not bad at all..." His footsteps, muffled by the walls...


	13. Chapter 13

"So... I am assuming that tonight is the Vytal Festival dance, right?"

"No Richard, we're just getting dressed up to role-play in our room."

"Oh..." The elder's eyes rolled to the floor, as he sat on Cardin bed, as the four brothers donned on their suits, their ties, their white undershirts, their matching dress shoes.

"No Richard, we're going to the dance. Cardin's just being a jackass."

"I was just messing with him, Russel!" The Winchester threw his hands up in the air. "I didn't use a mean tone or anything like that!"

"You can can't mess with Richard like Cardin! His old mind is very fragile! He's not the same young, strong-minded man that he was seventy years ago!-"

"-Ah shut up, all of you!" Richard would cry out, looking back while gesturing a dismissal-wave of his hand. "You kids today are nothing but disrespectful pieces of shit; you're all getting worst with each generation to come!"

Dove immediately replied, the thought having been brewing in his mind. "The future is now, old man. You'll bite the dust sooner or later. I mean, honestly, if you don't end up on the floor, convulsing, puking out your guts and blood by the end of the year, crying your eyes out of what few tears your body can produce, then I will be disappointed." Sure-Shank, Sky, Cardin, and Russel, guffawed, each one of them, in varying degrees, at the expense of the old coot, who sat, wallowing in his own chagrin.

"Do you four think Ziz would appreciate this kind of behavior? Her four own boys treating one of their elders with disrespect?" He would only add to the laughter, the laughter that shook the walls, the beds, the floor, the door, the window.

Cardin informed Richard of the painful truth, "My mom doesn't even treat you with respect, Richard! She treats no one with respect! She's just an absolute cunt!"

"... You want me to say to your mother what you just said, Cardin?" He lowly whispered. "How would she react to her son calling her that?"

"Do it, I fucking dare you," And Cardin would reply, as he straightened out his mint-green tie, "I'll fucking take her on. I'm ready to go another round with her. I'll deal with her when we go back to Disown."

Shank refuted Cardin's statement however, claiming, "Well, you four aren't actually gonna see her while you're at Disown. She's been getting caught up lately with talking to people about building an academy on Disown."

"Oh shit, we're finally gonna get an academy there? Does that mean we can transfer there once it's built?"

"Well," Shank, rubbing the back of his head, said, "Sky, it takes awhile to build academies."

"Ah yes, it took quite some time for Beacon to be built. Yet however, that was right after the Great War came to an end. With the technology we have now, the construction of Disown's academy will definitely be faster. But... why would you want to transfer there? Aren't you four doing well here?"

Russel, leaning up against the wall, having finished dressing up, explained to his elder about their current situation at Beacon. "Eh, kind of. We're going good in classes, but we're not really that popular at Beacon. At first everyone hated us because Cardin started to bully some of the faunus here, and humans too. But up to this point, he managed to stop himself from doing it, yet most of the students still hate us, and tend to treat us like shit, save for a few now. Or hell, they all pretty much fear us, especially after watching us beat Pyrrha Nikos a few days ago."

"Pyrrha Nikos? Your four beat Pyrrha Nikos?" Russel nodded his head in confirmation, almost smirking a bit.

"Yeah, it was basically the first time anyone here got to see Dove and I use our semblances. After that, I'm pretty sure no one is gonna harass us again. So now we're just basically the most fear first-year team on Beacon, I guess."

"Yep!" Cardin agreed, as with no poncho, or even no gloves, finally butting on his mint-green coat, sliding the buttons through the openings in the fabric. "All right, everyone ready." Yes, everyone would reply. "Then let's go. You guys can go on ahead while I go on and get Ruby." Russel opened the door for the Disownians to pour out into the hallway, parting ways from Cardin, as he went on to hear the chattering of friends to die out the further he distanced himself., as his mind quickly rushed to how to properly behave himself tonight.

One was to simply not to fight anyone, not to lose himself over to tiniest little thing, essentially, like with all dances, he was to control himself from doing anything cruel or stupid tonight. Or at least what Ruby would consider to be cruel or stupid; Cardin had little doubt in himself that he could refrain form mauling someone to death for making fun of his brother's misfortunes.

Knock, knock, knock, Cardin went, as he found the door that was of RWBY, admittedly feeling fluttering in his stomach, when hearing Ruby's voice. "Who's there?"

A swallow, while he smacked the dryness of his mouth with his own tongue. "It's me Ruby, are you ready?"

"O-Oh yeah! Just hold on a sec'- WHOA!" Cardin's ears twitched at the sound of crashing, perhaps something breaking onto the floor due to Ruby tripping. Did he care enough to be concerned? Not really, he knew Ruby- or any student here was durable enough to survive tripping on something, unless it led to falling off a cliffside like the one here at Beacon.

Eventually, he'd watch as the knob turned to reveal a nervously smiling littler red, her brow frettingly furrowed as Cardin noticed the mess in her team's room. "Heh heh- ignore what you just heard." Ruby requested, shutting the door behind her and locking it, as Cardin complied and focused on instead her dress. It looked cute on her, he had to acknowledge, a red dress with black lacing,a belt, and pumps, with yet a girl like Ruby, she would look adorable in anything really, another realization of Cardin's, while he slowly started to eye her legs.

"All right!" Yet as Ruby turned back around, Cardin was swift to bring her golden orbs to her big, silver eyes, having found himself nearly snarling at them, while she took her turn to now, but for barely two or three seconds, to take in all of his mint-green suit, slightly staring at his hands for a little too long before looking back up at his calm features, nearly finding herself blushing as she said, "You look nice tonight Cardin."

"You too..."

"..."

"... So, do we... hold hands on the way the dance or-"

"-EEEEEPPP!"

"Whoa!" All Ruby was just one small step, a small step that caused to almost fall yet again, only to be caught in the Winchester's arms, having gone under her own, as she started to chuckle in embarrassment.

"Heh- I-I think I might need to hold onto you Cardin. I'm not used to walking in these things." Ruby explained, now with a red face, gesturing to her pumps.

While Cardin, filled with little amusement, answered, "Okay," as he allowed Ruby to wrap her hands around his right elbow, slightly squeezing his arm for a second, rather impressed by his size. "Let's go." It'd take some time for them to get out of the building, as Cardin slowed himself for the petite girl when she neared off on one foot, or when they walked down the stairs, during which she tightened her grip, almost whimpering at the thought of falling again.

They of course would be done with that once they reached the outside of Beacon campus the night cloudy, blurring the moonlight and thus making students rely on the lamp-posts for guidance to the Vytal dance. Cardin could imagine how thankful Ruby must have been for tonight to be one lacking of wind.

"So, is this... your first dance, Cardin?" Little Red inquired of the brute, glancing up at him as he stared on ahead.

"Yep, first dance. We never really had any dances to go to back on Disown. Mostly because we were just home-schooled by my mom, up until we came here to Beacon."

"Oh."

"Is this your first?"

"Yeah, it is. The last school I went to, Signal Academy, had dances, but I never went to any of them. I mostly just... stayed at home, working on my weapon, or playing video games."

"Oh, you built your weapon?"

"Mm-hm. Yep, it took me like... I think six, or maybe seven months to finish Crescent Rose."

"Damn, that sounds fast for how big your scythe is."

"For you it is."

"... What?"

"I was... it was a joke, like as in _my scythe is too big for you._ "

"I don't get it."

"Yeah, me neither. Yang just used that joke one day and we all didn't understand either. She got mad and told us we have terrible taste in humor."

"Oh, of course she'd do that. She makes terrible puns when I try to tutor her as well. No matter how many times I tell her to stop-"

"-She never does." Cardin chuckled, making Ruby giggle in return.

"Yeah..."

"... So... did you make your weapon?"

"Wha? Oh, no. My team, we didn't make our weapons ourselves."

"Really?"

"Yeah, they're actually weapons used by the imprisoned hunters during the war between Disown and Vale, apparently belonging to close friends to my mom. She'd end up giving them to us... about two years ago, telling us that she'd rather see that their weapons are used today instead of being left to gather dust in a shack."

"That... that sounds nice."

"Yeah, Dove's sword was actually his old man's sword. While my mace was..."

"What?"

"... Lagune's own mace-"

"What?!" Ruby shouted, her voice reaching a higher octave that threatened to make Cardin's ears bleed, as he hissed in spite.

"Geeeehh- Ruby!"

"Sorry, sorry! It's just that I never... I mean, Cardin, you're using Lagune's own weapon? I didn't even know he had a mace!"

"Well, he did, but he built it right as the war with Vale started. After that, he would have his sword returned to him, only to die after the war."

"Ahhh, okay. So... why didn't Zi- your mom, give you his sword then?"

"I asked her that too, and she gave me three reasons: one, is that she wanted to be safe with her, I think shew anted to keep it as a reminder of him. The second reason is because the mace is better suited for someone as strong as me, and third was that I'm bad at aiming with guns."

"I see."

"Plus, she told me that since I love breaking things so much, that there would no better weapon for me to smash anything than a mace. So... yeah, match-made-in-Heaven."

"..."

"..."

"... Welp, we're here."

"Yep." The two before the doorway of the ballroom. From behind it, music, commotion, laughter, all was smothered by the walls, the walls. "Let's go in." Ruby led Cardin, still holding onto him, as she pushed open the doors, with the first sight to see being Yang, in a white dress, standing behind a podium, as her eyes beamed with glee right at the first sight of her sister, whom finally released Cardin.

"Ooohh! You look so beautiful!"

Ruby would groan as she tried to maintain her balance, while Cardin waded behind her, ready to catch her if she falls.

"Jeez, how does Weiss even fight while wearing those things."

"I know, right?!" Ruby started, in agreement with Cardin, having finally reached the podium. "I need to talk to her about how she fights in these thing!" Yang heartily laughed, soon bringing her attention back to Cardin, as her smile diminished, but still stayed.

"You look nice too, Cardin."

"Thanks, Russel hated the suits though. He said they looked absolutely horrendous."

"Oh," Yang looked back, to see Cardin's brothers, along with their friends, sitting at a table, all heartily laughing with one another. "If he didn't like it, then why did he pick it out then?"

"Oh no, I picked them out."

"Ah, okay. Well then," Yang gestured to the crowded, decorated ballroom, full of dancing students, table, and snacks, the music only adding to the overwhelming nature "have at it you two!" Ruby and Cardin took their leave, or just about, to enjoy the dance, before Yang would take grip of the Winchester by the wrist, sturdy, making him turn back to face the yellow dragon, now solemn, rather than cheery a moment ago. "Make sure you treat my little sister _well,_ Cardin. If you so much as to hurt her feelings, I will-"

"-Break my legs, shatter my spirit, blah blah- I understand Yang, don't worry, I'll be kind to Ruby." He could feel her hand squeeze hard, almost shaking before she released the beast, putting yet one more smile, as if she had not just threatened him. Yet, Cardin couldn't help but smile either, just at the thought of Yang actually managing to put a scratch on him.

When he turned back, he saw that Ruby had only walked a few feet before stopping to look back at the two, visibly confused from seeing the somberness of her sister. "Did she say something Cardin?"

"Yes, she was threatening me to take good care of you on our date."

" _Ohhh_ , of course she would. Sorry," the petite leader apologized for her half-sister, having just rolled her eyes, "you know how protective sibling can be sometimes."

"Yeah, I know." Ruby nodded, looking back at the entirety of the ballroom, with Cardin by her side, his gaze falling upon his teammates, sitting at a table with Sure-Shank, Richard, and surprisingly, Port and Oobleck, though he supposed Richard might have been familiar of them back in the past, all sitting together, seemingly guffawing joyously with each other's company.

"So... what do you want to do first, Cardin?"

Grimacing, Cardin swore in his mind, having just encountered the first obstacle for the night. "I uh... well, what do you want to do-"

"-Oh wait, there's Weiss," Ruby cut him off, as she started- clumsily so- started to make her way towards Weiss.

"Oh... guess we'll talk to her first..."

* * *

"Ah, Ziz, that seems to be the last of our grimm for the night."

"Ugh- yay. Thank Goood."

"Yes..."

"Yep. I'm gonna just... gah, go back home, fall asleep, then go meet with some of those Atlesians about finding a location to act as... the base for Swabian Academy."

"Swabian... Academy?"

"Oh shit, I never told you, did I? A month ago, I think, we were offered the opportunity to have an academy to train huntsmen, like Beacon, with our own CCT system for Disown to enjoy. So I said yeah, and we're going to start construction... I think a year from now."

"... And you believe this to be a good idea? On the land where you bless us, where-"

"-NO no, don't worry Dion, I made sure to pick some location that are the other side of Disown from here, so that no student may end up wandering here to the cave."

"Ah, good, very good."

"Yeah, it's about damn time too. After all the bullshit I had to do for those prudish Council bitches and bastards, it looks like it's going to finally payoff."

"Hmmm, yes, and, does this mean you'll be bring your boys back?"

"What? No, no- they're gonna stay at Beacon. Cardin's doing some good work all the way over there, getting to bless grimm I can't bother to reach."

"Yes, I understand. There's just..."

"What?"

"It was... the most curious thing, really. For about seven, or maybe six days, I've felt there numbers of joinings to fall, yet only to rise up for the last two nights or so."

"Yeah? You saying Cardin skipped out on a whole week?"

"Well... it maybe the truth, Ziz. I can't imagine why. He has been adamant on performing his blessings, just like you. Yet for him to just stop for a little week... it confuses me. I would not dare say he just wanted to stop, for he knows of how beneficial it is for him. But perhaps, there was something stopping him."

"... It could be that the headmaster found out he was going out at night, and thus put his dorm on lock-down for a week."

"Hm, yes, then now he has found another way to reach the grimm."

"Yeah."

"Or, perhaps... another force was stopping him. Possibly, had scared your son from the forest."

"Scared? HA! Like Cardin's gonna be scared of going into a forest filled with the grimm he's helping! They're always going to be by his side, Dion!

"Of course, but, I said this before, didn't I? There is more out there, than the grimm. The unknown, Ziz, includes more than my own kind."

"..."

"..."

"... Yeah, well, the next time I see Cardin, I'll... I'll ask him about it..."

* * *

"So, I go down to the dining hall to see what the problem was, and up on the front side, still on his bed, taped to the wall, was Oobleck, left with no blankets, out in temperatures less than _blah-blah blah-"_

Russel had grown bored of listening to Richard ramble on and on about stories of Beacon during his time of running the academy. They had been entertaining for the first or second story, but anything after that had only reminded Thrush of Port and his bombastic tales, only Richard's were not of self-indulgence.

Thrush excused himself from the table, yet no one even payed him any mind, when the fire-victim pushed himself and left the table of tittering fighters. Russel had nowhere in mind to go, he'd just much rather get some time alone from Richard. So when setting sights first on it, Russel went to the punch bowl, where noticeably, Jaune Arc, in all his anxious lonesome stood at; the sight just irritated Russel something fierce.

"Hey!" Jaune jumped back when hearing Russel shout out him, forcing himself to stare at the scarred, face of a thug that could easily break him. "What the hell Jaune? I thought you asked Pyrrha out to the dance!"

"W-Whoa- I did! I did, Russel!" The Arc raised his hands in defense, backing away from the Thrush boy. "I did ask her out!"

"Where is she, then?"

"She... she just told me to go on ahead while she gets ready. So I did and..." He gestured to their general area. "Well, I'm just comfortable with standing, or... more like hiding at the punch bowl. At least until Pyrrha gets here."

"... And what if she doesn't?"

"W-What?"

"What if Pyrrha just said that, so she can go and get away from you and meet her beefcake boyfriend, just to get fucked by his thick dick?"

"..." Out of nowhere, Jaune socked Russel in his arm, rather hard actually, or at least enough to make the burn-victim flinch in irk. "Ow, what the hell, Jaune?"

"Don't _play_ with me like that, THRUSH."

"Jeez- that can be considered a hate crime, asshole."

"Hate crime- how?! How can that be considered a hate crime!?"

"Because I'm a burn victim, Jaune. I could report this to Ozpin and get you expelled, man."

"It wasn't a hate crime! I punched because you were filling my mind with terrible ideas!"

A shit-eating grin from Thrush had earned himself another hit from JNPR's leader. "Gah, asshole."

"Yeah, I'm the asshole, look who's talking, what with everything you guys have done." His reference to the past getting nothing but shaking in dismissal of Russel, as he poured himself a glass of punch.

"Whatever..." He drank the sweet juice, smacking his lips while turning back around to take in all of the students that had come, all socializing with one another; it was all an alien sight to Russel, with this, like all his brothers, being his first time at a dance.

"So... where's your date, huh?"

"Date? Heh, I only asked one girl out, but she said she already had someone in mind." Jaune mildly hissed in sympathy.

"Who did you ask out?"

"Weiss."

"What?! Weiss?! You asked HER out?!"

"Yes."

"When?"

"Before we eavesdropped on her asking Neptune out."

"Oh..."

"Yeah, how weird is it that we both wanted to come to the dance with Weiss?"

"Well... why did you want to come to the dance with her?"

Russel shrugged his shoulders, before taking another sip. "Well... shit- everything you said yesterday is the reason I asked her out. She's smart, tough for a girl her size, yeah, whatever reasons you had for wanting to ask her out, they were the same for me. But I guess... you and I," at this time, he could see Weiss, occupying herself at a table, trying to spruce up a rose to life, only to fail, visibly disappointed with a touch of acceptance in her loneliness, "... I guess you and I weren't good enough, were we?"

"... Yeah. But... I understand, Neptune is handsome and nice."

"Pffffffttt," Russel wanted to point out Weiss to Jaune, just to show him how wrong he was, yet before he could do so, he heard the familiar voice of Pyrrha calling for her own leader.

"Jaune!" She came running over, adorned in her red dress, hugging her body in a way that made it difficult for Russel to resist from ogling at, as she came to Jaune, his smile as big a sit can be, prompting Russel to think he was mocking him due to its sheer size. "Sorry I took so long, Jaune."

"Nah nah, you look... you look amazing Pyrrha."

"Thank you, Jaune." Immediately, it was there that she took Jaune by his hands, and just pulled with her into the crowd.

"Whoa!" They disappeared into it, leaving Russel feeling slightly insulted, that she just ignored his presence like that.

"Bitch didn't even say hi to me." Though, he felt some sense of pride, as he watched a startle Jaune soon relax when he realized Nikos just wanted to dance with him, at the same time, not aware of his swordsman brother, having made his way up the stairs, his hands in his orange pockets, as he trotted up the stairs, or Sky, who had now started to interact with Yang verbosely, or Cardin and Ruby, whom were trying their damnest to copy the movement of every other student, putting themselves in the challenge dancing for the first time.

No, Russel was much rather focused on Schnee, once more, his eye watching her, his eye finding no joy in watching her as she had finally given up on trying to bring the rose back to life. "... Fuck it."

He finished up his punch, laying the glass back onto the table, straightening his tie, shoved his hands into his own pockets, and made his way towards the Schnee girl, whom would acknowledge the Thrush closing in on her when he was but a few feet away, bring her gaze into a soft scowl, feeling as if he was here to gloat about her lonesome nature here.

"Hey."

"Hi."

"... is your... date running late?"

"... No. He just... said no." Russel would poke at his cheeks with his tongue, as he looked around to spot Neptune, hanging out with Sun and Blake. Weiss had just remained with looking at Russel, thinking he was just gazing about, not staring directly at the young man who rejected her, before turning his attention back at Weiss.

"Neptune rejected you?"

"What... h-how did you it was Neptune?" Russel picked up on the small venom in her voice, yet stayed calm as he explained.

"Jaune and I overheard you asking him out."

"Jaune and you?"

"Yeah, I was just walking in the halls until he bumped into me, holding a rose. Before I could ask him who it was for, we heard you coming and hid, and just... listened to you ask Neptune out, or at least until Jaune ran away. I guess that would have been before Neptune... said no."

"..."

"I ran to him, asked him if he was going to ask you to the dance, he said yeah. It was really sad, seeing him just be crushed when he never got to tell you how he felt for you."

"... How... what was he gonna say to me?"

"... I think I remember... he admired your being the most gorgeous, about you being so talented- he said your singing was great. Uh, what else.. oh, Jaune also talked about how smart you are. Ever since he met you on day one, he always saw you as the perfect woman, whom I'm sure, a little bit of him knew, he would never have a chance with, but he just kept on trying, trying, until last nigh-"

"-Stop, stop," Weiss requested the Thrush boy, her eyes resting into her palms, sighing longingly, as everyone around continued on with the dance, the two being nothing but figures in the corner of their eyes as they dance, chat, laugh.

"... Are you crying, Weiss?"

For the first time, Russel heard Weiss growl. " **No,** you dunce. I'm just..." her hand went onto covering her mouth, as she just sat, hunched, staring at the floor, watching as the feet twirled around each pair, in black or white, catching the sight of four that led up to Pyrrha and her date, both seemingly happy as one of the many pairs, moving to the rhythm of the beat.

"You're lucky to have a friend like Jaune," Russel grew tired of waiting for her to say anything, "you don't know how hard it is to find people in this world who would appreciate anyone like that." The particular laughter of Richard and Shank grabbed him, as he looked back over to see the two, still with Port, Oobleck, and now Ozpin too, with Sky gone somewhere. The sight of an empty chair at the table appealing to him, now more than ever. "Well, see you later, Weiss. Nice talk we had here."

Yet Weiss, just as Russel passed by her vision, shot her hand for and grabbing his wrist, catching him off-guard as he looked down to see her icy glare, her frown just irritating Russel; he felt like she was now criticizing his appearance with only no sound. "It's because of you, Russel, that my night has been ruined."

A hoarsely, "What," his momentarily looking in opposite direction before he shook his head, trying to comprehend what Weiss meant. "The hell are you talking about?! I just came to talk to you!"

"No! Because of you, _Thrush,_ my guilt is immeasurable, and my night is ruined!"

"Guilt? The fuck are you guilty for?! Jaune already has a date- with Pyrrha of all people-"

"-It's not that, you just made me realize of how much suffering I've been putting Jaune through-"

"-Suffering? I doubt rejecting a guy's feelings will do him much suffering. Well only if he's san-"

"-SHUT, UP. It doesn't matter anymore now, because you're going to fix this."

"Fix th- fix what? What are you talking about? Yang was making more sense yesterday than you are right now."

"What I mean, you filthy Thrush _boy_ , is that you're going to make up for ruining my night."

"... And how do you want me to do that?"

"Dance with me."

"... How is that going fix anything?"

"This is a dance, isn't it? I might as well have one dance with someone, even if it is... _you..._ "

* * *

Dove stared at them, the two faunus, as they held hands with one another, majestically moving in accordance to the song, among the dozens of other couples.

Did he really lie to him? Would Sun Wukong really lie to him, to Dove, just so he could make sure that he had no competition to worry about when asking Blake out to the dance.

No, that is just your mind Dove, running wild as usual. Sun wouldn't need to come up with such a dirty tactic to pick up chicks, what with his body and looks. He was not Dove, not Cardin, not Sky, nor Russel; he does not need to rely on such vile ways to get what he wanted. Or did he? Dove did not truly know who Sun is, what it was that resided deep within the bowels of Sun's being. So how could Dove just assume Sun was genuinely a good person, when he hadn't even spent more than an hour with the faunus overall his time at Beacon?

Whatever it was, Dove could not deny the sight of the monkey dancing with the faunus in disguise deflated him, now knowing that there was a better choice for Blake than Dove himself. But don't care, everything in life isn't about women, he would think to himself.

But that did little to change the fact that when he saw Sun and Blake, Jaune and Pyrrha, Nora and Ren together, he felt jealousy. Or when seeing Ruby, Cardin, Sky, and Yang, all chatting with one another at a table, he felt jealousy. Or- by God- was Russel dancing with Weiss? How? He thought Weiss went for Neptune, like his brother told them! Did his own brother lie to them too?

Nonsense, the all of it. Dove refused to think about it another second. Focus on something that you enjoy, now. As such, Dove, shaking his head, left for balcony, finding and sitting himself in a chair out in the night, windless. The sky having finally cleared up to show the stars above, with their broken moon, where Dove could go and pass the time with one of his age old favorite pass times: star-gazing.

Normally, due to the light pollution that Beacon and Vale city produced, Dove found it to be less of an appeal to stare up at the stars in the night, rather when compared to their mansion in Disown, where Dove could gaze upon dozens of cosmic sights that everyone in Vale probably never get to see in their own life. But, in an occasion like this, gazing up into the night sky would provide much needed assistance to escape from the bitterness tonight.

There was still quite a few stars to see in the polluted night, so much to gaze at. He had to admit that the darkness that the pollution of light created did add in another sense he would find in Disown: the feeling of gazing into an abyss. Only this one was the sky itself, with Dove wondering what could lie in that darkness above.

Ah, it would just be the galaxy, you daft fool, or Dove would think. Just enjoy the stars. Enjoy the stars.

"Do you enjoy looking at the stars?" It took all of his might not to groan in annoyance, as Dove properly sat up to look back and see who it was that came up her with him. It was that girl, the strange one, with short orange, curly hair, topped by a big pink bow, that Cardin always described as smelling funny, like a fake human in a way- whatever he meant by that- that was guarded by two Atlas soldiers, remaining stoic as ever, while her face was just riddled with the spirit of inquiry.

"... Yeah," Dove answered, his tone barely strident, while he went back to to stars, hoping that she would pick up on it and would leave him alone to gaze.

"What is there to like about it?" But of course she would do the opposite, and instead walk towards him and stop by his side, with her bodyguards stopping a comfortable distance behind them. If it was not for actual curiosity he picked up in her question, Dove would have guessed she was already mocking him. At this moment, he hoped answering her questions would make her leave now.

"I don't know. For me... I just like looking at them, they always calm me down whenever I look at them."

"So you look at stars to help appease your anger?"

"... No... sometimes when I'm angry, I'll look at them. But other times, I'll just be stargazing because the stars look pretty. Or once in awhile, I'd be thinking about what's up there."

"... What's up there?"

"Yeah, you know... like aliens, UFOs, or just other planets.

"What is... an alien?"

For a moment, Dove nearly went and accused the girl of messing with him at that moment, wanting to tell her to fuck off already and leave him be. But again, at the same time, her curiosity did little to deteriorate in genuineness. "What? You don't know what an alien is?" She shook her head, her bright green eyes closed for a second before reopening. "Well... an alien would be a living creature that comes from another planet from outer space."

"Wow. I never even heard of such a concept before." Dove now wanted to utterly throttle the girl, in absolute rage for what he was starting to believe was mockery well-disguised by acting. There was two problems though: one, Dove was a firm believer of free speech, seeing that one should be able to say whatever they want without being hit, though he will admit that he has been a hypocrite when it came to following that belief on a few occasions.

The second was that she had two Atlas soldiers guarding her. Dove didn't doubt himself that he could not beat them both down in blind anger fueled by his aura and semblance, but he still did not want to start a fight at the Vytal dance. This is suppose to be a good time for everybody, Dove would say to himself, calm down will you?

Maybe ten, or fifteen seconds of silence would pass, as the girl stared up at the night sky with Dove, until she would compliment him. "I watched the match between your team and Pyrrha Nikos. You four did really well."

"... Yeah?"

"Yes, I especially believe you proved yourself to be the most invaluable piece in disposing of Nikos."

"... I'm sorry, what's your name, sweetie?" Dove got out of his chair, incredulously string a hole into the girl's forehead, as she stepped back, taken surprise by the sudden shift in tone, as the two soldiers behind her visibly tensed, bracing themselves.

"I... I'm Penny Pelo-"

"-Okay, Penny, why are you talking to me?"

"I-I'm sorry, wha-"

"-Why are you talking to me? What the hell do you want from me?!" His fingernails started to bury into his palms, the bullet mark starting show its cosmic glory, as Penny further backed away to her guardsmen, whom stepped forward, pulling out their rifles on Dove, who's breathed heavier and heavier with each second passing.

"Sir, we're going to have to ask you to calm down, or we will-"

"-What?!" Dove screeched out, slightly hunching, his right arm completely enveloped by the white cosmos, as his left created the great-shield, "what will you do against me?! I will mop the floor with you pathetic humans!" Seething, the whip emerged from his palm, burning the stone beneath, with Dove's tongue gliding itself over his lips, his eyes. blue as could be, opening up to visually devour the figure of Penny, taking in her face of fear for what is about to come.

What is about to come?

What?

Nothing, Dove stop it, he shouted to himself from the depths of his mind, his breathing returning to a less intimidating value. Get rid of the whip, get rid of the shield, get rid of the cosmos, and leave this place. Dove willed it, everything fading away, until the white cosmos was no longer exposed. Yet the soldiers, beads having rolled down under their helmets, still pointed their weapons at the brunette, his face staying as calm as the starry ceiling above.

"I'm leaving now. Move out of the way." His first few steps prompted one of the soldier to pull Penny to his side, as the other maintained his gun on the student, watching for the slightest change in direction, until he was gone from the balcony. From the handrail, he could see not much had changed, save for some frivolous JNPR was doing. Other than that, he could not care to see where his brothers were now. He just wanted to leave. Leave.

Not the worst night I've ever had, but yet a disappointing one nevertheless. No students, no professor, saw him leave the dance, save for two exchange students.

"One of the students is leaving."

"Who?"

"That Bronzewing kid, from CRDL. I don't think we'll have to worry about him though, he looks too demoralized to do anything."

"Oh, good, good."

At outside, in the streets of Beacon, Dove could finally look up at the stars, now in peace, as his orange suit absorbed the dark, until he had arrived back to the dorm building. He found the interior to be quite a comforting warmness, walking, walking, climbing the stairs, pulling out his scroll, opening the door to find their room, filled with darkness, yet there being moonlight that split through their window.

All Dove would remove is his light orange coat, throwing it into the moonlight, before closing the door behind him. He pulled up his sheets, his blankets, and smothered his body beneath them, resting on his side, where he can stare at the moonlight shining onto the floor.

Just staring into it, his cheeks pressed against the pillow.

Staring into it, his eyelids shut.

Staring into it.

...

...

"... Do you see it?"

"..."

"Do you see what lurks around you?"

"..."

"The students? The teachers? The constructs? They are surrounded by it. All of you are surrounded by it."

"..."

"Soon, you will find me, after all these years, finally. Open the chamber, open the door. Let in all that I offer, and you will be rewarded. Your brothers will be rewarded."

"..."

"Soon, I shall return. Then, my Dove, you will finally see all of it that surrounds humanity."

"... Who are you?"

"... You will see me, soon enough. Just... open it..."


	14. Chapter 14

Dove groaned, his throat feeling as if something had scraped at it from the inside, as he opened his crust-covered eye, seeing a still empty room, not with sunlight shining through the window, small reflections of floating dust particles crossing the beams.

His bed creaking, Dove sat himself up, the blankets and sheets sliding down to his waist, revealing his winkled white shirt, and disheveled tie, while he rubbed his eyes free of the eye crust, hissing for when he had to forcibly pluck some of it from his eye lashes, blinking a few times to sooth his eyes after doing so. He looked around the room, finding the suits of Cardin, Russel, and Sky, scattered about the room, yet all three of his brothers appeared to be missing.

Yet Dove did not have to wonder of their whereabouts for long, when he spotted a note left on his nightstand, written by Sky.

 _"Dove, go shower and get your armor on. We're leaving for our mission today. If you need Russel and I, you can find us in RWBY's room-"_

"-What?" A befuddled Dove went, quickly putting the note away and heading into the bathroom, just to put his under the shower to wet his hazel-brown hair. Stripping himself down, putting on deodorant, donning on his black underclothing, turtleneck, and bronze armor. Grabbing his scroll and sword, Dove left his team's dorm room, muttering to himself that they better be there, or else Sky will suffer.

When having reached the door of team RWBY, Dove pressed his ear up against it, listening, listening, hearing Yang's voice speaking, then Russel's voice. They were indeed in there, so Dove rapped on the door, silencing the talking as he watched it be flung open to reveal Sky in his grey-blue armor.

"Well hello there sleeping beauty, come on in-"

"-No." He cut of the coyly request.

"Oh..."

"I wanna get breakfast."

"Okay... go get breakfast."

"I want my brothers to eat breakfast with me though."

"Ohhhh, yeah... well, we really can't do that right now."

"Why not?"

"Why don't you just come on in Dove?"

"No! I don't come on in just so you try and get me into some morning orgy."

"Fucking- Dove, we're not having an orgy with RWBY!"

"Then why are you guys in their fucking room?!"

"Just come on in Dove and we can talk!"

"NO! I want waffles!"

"Then go eat your fucking waffles, tubby!" Dove clocked his brother in his furious, glasgow face, knocking him down onto the floor, as the bluenett covered his left eye, gritting his teeth while Dove finally came in, shutting the door behind, and sitting himself down, his back pressed against the door, all the while Weiss, Blake, and Yang, just stared down at the fallen, moaning halberdier, baffled by Bronzewing's cruelty for his own brother, bringing their attention to the scowling Dove, still looking down at Sky.

Russel was just sitting at the foot of Weiss' own bed, wearing his poker face well throughout the ordeal.

"What wrong with you? What kind brother just abuses his own family like that?!"

"Who told you that we were brothers?" Dove sternly shot back at Weiss, glowering the Schnee from her toes to her face. "I don't recall ever telling any of you about that."

"Uh, Cardin told me that," Yang answered him hesitantly, " when we started the tutoring sessions, then I... told my team about it. Oh and JNPR too."

"... Okay, cool, I see. So, why... why are we here, to begin with?"

"... Are you kidding me? You're not even going to apologize to Sk-"

"-Blake, Sky's a fucking masochist and you know it. Look at him." Sky at that moment, started to moan in pleasure, immediately bringing immense discomfort among the three huntresses-in-training. "He's a degenerate that enjoys pain."

"Mmph, hurt me more, d-daddy."

"... Later."

"What... what did you ju-"

"-Okay, Dove," Russel cut off Blake, earning himself a scornful gaze from the faunus as he ignored her, "we're... gathered here- I guess- because Cardin and Ruby followed someone all the way to Beacon Tower. When they got there, they found some Atlas guards knocked out, so they uh- got their weapons, went into the tower, and... well just found the assailant and tried to capture her."

"Did they capture her?"

"Nah. They were called this morning up to Oz's office to talk about it."

"Ah, okay, sounds all good then."

"..."

"... It's not all _good,_ Dove." He stared up at Blake, atop her makeshift bunk.

"Well, hell, did this lady fuck up Cardin and Ruby?"

"No... not exactly.-"

"-Then there's nothing to worry about."

"There is something to worry about, though!" Blake was quick to exclaim, just to be met with Dove shaking his head, smiling, mockingly so, only to anger the faunus-in-disguise. "She might connected to a criminal syndicate, Dove!" That only got the brunette to laugh, brushing off the statement, prompting Blake to grip her sheets in spite. "And the White Fang!"

Now Sky and Russel joined their brother in joyous laughter; now Yang and Weiss joined their teammate in irritation.

"This is serious you three! How c-"

"W-White Fang?! Are you kidding me?" Sky overpowered her, still cackling. "Ha ha- the White Fang are an absolute joke where we come from! Back on Disown, we butcher more White Fang than we do Grimm. They're trying to take us down, take our family down, take out the towns and villages, but they always fucking fail. I can't tell you all how many times assassination attempts on our mom failed miserably for the White Fang! Oh the beatings we would watch just outside our house, as we looked out from our bedroom window..."

"Some times, the villagers will hunt down White Fang at night, nail them to a cross, and just... march them throughout the streets, make it a public festival, before burning them alive out on the outskirts. While cities, or towns, they'll just make it quick and send them to firing squads, or hang them at gallows."

"Sometimes though," Dove started, "if there are White Fang that surrender, the local law enforcement, or vigilantes, will cut off their ears, their tails, or replace their scales with human skin, then force them into low paying work. The process is basically our way of reintroducing faunus terrorists or criminals back into society. They either accept it, or end up as slaves until they agree to do so."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"... You uh... you three okay?"

"Oh, we're fine," Weiss replied to Dove, sounding as nonchalant as she could be right now, utterly disgruntled. "It just makes sense now."

"... What makes sense?"

"You three, and Cardin, growing up on Disown. It makes sense now, why all of you are just... you. Why you're all... physically scarred, why you're all so callous, why you all... despise faunus.-"

"-Okay, Weiss," Russel, with haste interrupted the heiress, "first of all, not all children go through the shit we went through. We were just dealt a bad hand, that fucked us all over, and," gesturing to his burnt skin, "did this to us, okay? And second, we do not HATE faunus- Cardin hates them, though he has been better at... not discriminating against them so often. Instead, we all hate the White Fang, okay? They're the only things on Disown that are a constant threat to its people. They're the ones that did that," he pointed to Lark's face, "to him. And they are the ones did THIS to me. So just to reiterate: we don't hate faunus, we just the White Fang. Cardin's the one... that just loathes them both." He touched his malformed skin, gently rubbing it, while still staring at Weiss, who at this point resorted to staring at their floor, glumly so, as distraught sympathy took her over.

"... I understand."

CLICK!

Dove was quick to stand up when hearing the door unlock, getting out of the way when Cardin pushed the door open, Ruby by his side, his face emotionless, while Ruby eyes were brought down.

"Hey Cardin, how'd it go?"

"Good," he shut the door behind him, as Ruby went and sat by her partner on her bed, "Ozpin just wanted to talk to us more about the girl we fought last night."

"What did you tell him?" Yang would inquire, looking at her own little sister, Little Red still staring at the floor as she answered.

"I... we just told them about how she fought, and... about her being connected to Roman and the White Fang."

"We also brought up her mentioning a base, or hideout, southeast of Va..."

Sniff, sniff, Cardin went, his nostrils flaring like that of an enrage bull, as his golden orbs started to gaze about the room.

"... Do you... smell something, Cardin?"

"Yeah." All he said to Ruby. "I think... no- there's a dog in here."

"D-Dog?" Blake went, her faltering being unnoticed by everyone else.

"Yeah, I smell a dog," his eyes stopped upon a cylindrical box, pointing out from the bottom from Yang's bed. He automatically went for it, lifting it up to his face to further sniff at.

"H-Hey! Cardin!-"

"-It's in here!" Carding shouted, lifting it up beyond Yang's reach, much to her dismay as he opened it, and out came another cylindrical object, with black fur, landing strain onto his gloved palm. Wait, that's no cylinder. "A DAMN corgi?!"

The little thing barked at him, its brown eyes staring into his golden ones, as Ruby and Yang rushed to him, their expressions that of young children on Christmas morning, both shouting "ZWEI!" It was in reaction to hearing his name that Zwei jumped over to Ruby, whom with glee caught the corgi, squealing in delight as he started to lick her face. Meanwhile, Weiss, Russel, Dove, and Sky, were just standing back, in shock that someone sent a dog in the mail.

Blake took it the worst, having quickly rushed to her bed, staring down at the dog with the eyes of a frightened predator.

"Z-Zwei? This is your dog?"

"Hehe- yeah! Our dad does this stuff all the time!" Yang explained to Russel, as Ruby sat the dog down to let him run about, soon to bark at yang from her bunk, further agitating her.

"Your dad? You dad did this? That's just animal abuse! I mean just look at this package, he didn't even poke any holes in it! You dog, Zwei, he could've suffocated in here and it would have been the fault of your father! Your dad should know better!"

"Well... Cardin... I under... you know it's just... Zwei can..." Yang was starting to wish Cardin was not such a freak with superhuman senses, as he stood there, arms crossed, his face waiting for an explanation.

"Would all first-year students please report to the amphitheater?" She silently thanked the deities above for Glynda's voice coming over the intercom, as Cardin eyes had wandered above, listening to her speak.

"All right, it's time to go, we'll see y'all another time. Come on fairies."

"Hey, don't call me that. I'm not gay."

"Yeah, sure."

"I believe you, Sky."

Dove was the last to leave, closing the door behind him for RWBY to stare at in silence, as Zwei trotted towards it and started to bark, his stubby tail wagging.

"... Those were the best we could get last night, huh?"

"I thought Cardin was fine last night..."

* * *

"Gather up your crap and let get outta here." CRDL followed the order with immense haste and focus, making sure to get everything they were going to need in their backpacks. Food, drinks, sleeping bags, electric lanterns given to them by Richard and Sure-Shank, no spare clothes because that's just how they do in life, and deodorant. "C'mon, c'mon, let's get going."

"Jeez Cardin, I'm pretty sure we have-"

"GOOOOO!"

"Ugh." Russel mumbled to himself as they left their own dorm room, already catching sight and following the students that were rushing over towards the amphitheater. They left the dorms, the sky sunny for their day of departure to the ruins of an ancient past. They made their way, with little stares of anger or spite, being more rather that of fear, with the students keeping their distance when seeing their familiar armor reflecting sunlight off into the corner of their eyes.

Unfortunately, they'd end up having to crowd up against one another, when having entered the auditorium. There, CRDL kept to themselves, hanging near the entrance, their eyes fixated on the stage, where they could see Ozpin and Glynda, discussing to one another about some subject that CRDL was sure would bore them if they could hear them.

"Hey, what are you all packed for?" The four ruffians collectively groaned when hearing Jaune's inquiry, not really bothering to turn around. Though it did not matter, as JNPR walked up stopped right next to CRDL, specifically with Jaune and Lark standing side by side. "We haven't even got to pick our missions yet."

Sky took the responsibility of answering the blond. "Well, Jaune, since we're such cool dudes, we already got our mission."

"W-What? How?"

" _I'll never tell._ "

"Well... what is it then?" The bubbly Nora questioned the halberdier, prompting him and his whole brother to look at each other, their faces pouting in curiosity, before they decided and let Sky answer.

"Nnnnnah, nah, w-we'll tell you about it, when we come back."

"Aw, just tell us Sky."

"Nnnnnnooooo, I don't _feeeeel_ like we're on good enough terms to tell you about it."

Nora scoffed. "Are you serious? It's been awhile since I threatened to break your legs, Sky! And also, Russel was the one that hooked up Jaune and Pyrrha for the dance night! Doesn't that put us on good terms?" Russel's brothers, and Pyrrha, all, shocked, baffled, stared at the Thrush boy, whom remained still as a statue, and as stoic as one.

"You what?"

"Heh heh, welllll, Sky, I uh... I may have talked with Jaune about going for Pyrrha, instead of choosing to go and beat himself over about not even getting to tell Weiss."

"... _What?_ "

"Ugh- forget about it, just-just fuck it. Okay?"

"Jaune," Pyrrha would grab her leader by his arm, gently so, as she whispered, "why didn't you tell me this?"

"I-I-I'm sorry, I just didn't feel like you'd need to know about it."

"But you told Nora?"

"A-And Ren. But... you're not mad, are you?"

"No, no I'm not mad, Jaune, I'm just..." She looked back at Russel, now to his agitation, being further heckled by Sky. "I'm just... shocked, that he'd... talked to you about this."

Before Jaune could reply with anything more, the doors behind them opened, catching his eye when he noticed it to be none other than RWBY, as their leader quickly sat aside her backpack near the luggage of other students before rushing beside her team, to join the behind CRDL and JNPR, as Glynda stepped up to the mic to gather everyone's eyes.

"Quiet! Quiet please. Professor Ozpin would like to share a few words before we begin." They did as they were told, patiently watching the headmaster as he came and took the stand for himself.

"Today we stand together, united. Mistral. Atlas. Vacuo. Vale. The four Kingdoms of Remnant. On this day, nearly eighty years ago, the largest war in recorded history came to an end. It was a war of ignorance, of greed, and of oppression. A war that was about much more than where borders fell or who traded with whom, but about the very idea of individualism itself. We fought for countless reasons, one of which being the destruction of all forms of art and self-expression. And as you are well aware, that was something many could not stand for. As a result, those who opposed this tyranny began naming their children after one of the core aspects of art itself: color. It was their way to demonstrate that not only would they refuse to tolerate this oppression, but neither were the generations to come. And it was a trend that is held to this very day. We encourage individuality, expressionism, and unity through diversity. As I have said, today we stand together, united. But this bond cannot exist without effort. Which is why today, while the rest of the world celebrates peace, Huntsmen and Huntresses will work to uphold it. As first year students, you will be tasked with shadowing a professional Huntsman or Huntress on a mission. Some of you may be taken out of the Kingdom for several days. Others may work within the walls for the rest of the week. But no matter which path you choose, remember to be safe, remember your training, and remember to do your very best."

An irritated groan finally escaped Sky's fine lips, once everyone started to disperse in volume of sound and size. No one would have payed him no mind, save for JNPR and RWBY, who watched him as he made a gun gesture with his hand, pointing it to his temple and bringing his thumb down, for his brothers to grin and nod in agreement.

"I fucking know, right? That speech makes me wanna start another war against _art and self-expression."_ Cardin expressed, nasally, as he caught Weiss looking over to her partner, a face of disappointment.

"That's the guy you went to the dance with, Ruby."

"I-I- He doesn't mean it, right Cardin?"

"... Yeah, I don't mean it." He lied. "But I would declare war, only those globalist scum."

"... Who?"

"I'll tell you about them when we come back from our mission."

"W-Wait, you already got your mission?"

" _Yes._ "

"What is it?"

"I'll tell you about it when we get back!" Cardin shouted at her form the distance between them, with his team heading outside, for the airship to take them back home.

* * *

"You four ready to go back to Disown."

"Yep."

"Well, you're gonna have to wait for your huntsman to get here." The four brothers sighed, rubbing their eyes, their mouths, covering their ears in annoyance to Sure-Shank.

"Ah, just be patient you four, I'm sure it won't take too long for him to get here."

"Do you know who it is, Richard?"

"... Noooo, noooo..." The two men just left CRDL like that, heading back into their airship for the boys to just turn around, and sit in a circle, crosslegged, setting their packs down in joy of relaxing their shoulders.

"Welp, this is it guys. You're ready to see home again?" Cardin inquired of his brothers, getting a response from Russel, clamping down on his shoulder while stretching it.

"Yeah. Though I'm sure we won't get to go back to our ACTUAL home. I think we're just gonna be dropped off at the site, and explore immediately."

"Oh yeah, we're gonna go get to explore some primeval ruins to uncover secrets of humanity's past, and rewrite history as we all know it in our current era today."

"..."

"..."

"... You know, Sky, I don't what it is about you, but you're just... you're just like the fucking best at taking the piss out of serious shit, like our mission. I mean, don't get me wrong, all of us can do better than the average. But you, Sky, it's like your second semblance or something."

Sky smiled in a playful manner, though made hideous by his scars. "Seventeen years in the making, Russel, and it's only gonna get better." They shared a good laugh, a hardy laugh, as the three all punch Sky's shoulders in a more vicious fashion rather than playfully.

Though Sky did not mind. His brother did not mind either.

"Hey guys!" Their fun came to an abrupt, bitter end though, when hearing Ruby call out for them.

"Hooo- why are they talking to us so much, lately?"

"It's the price we pay for socializing, Dove." Cardin let his brother know. It was not that they did not hate RWBY, or JNPR, just for being themselves. Or at least not as of now. But it was more about them not being able to joke around the way they usually would, due to the two teams being of a more sensitive nature.

Yang would inquire of the boys, "You four waiting on your huntsman?"

And Russel would answer. "Mmhm, did you find yours?"

"Yeah, it... Oobleck."

"Nice," Cardin lied; he would have been demoralized to find out if it were Oobleck to be assigned to be shadowed by CRDL. "So, what mission did you _nerds_ get?"

"Nerds?-"

Blake was cut off Ruby, giving the sitting brute the answer of, "We're gonna go save the world!" Before Cardin could doubt her- honestly, all four of the boys knew she was exaggeration- Nora spoke up.

"Save the world?!" It was there that CRDL just blanked out, silently listening as the two teams started to converse with each other; RWBY explaining their mission to be taking place outside of Vale, while JNPR proclaimed the same, stating that they are to shadow a sheriff of some village.

"We're setting out tomorrow." Ren claimed, getting himself a response of an approaching

Then Neptune and Sun came in. "Then you can party with us tonight! We're shadowing a crime specialist. All inner-city detective stuff. We get junior badges."

Jaune was visibly wonderstruck, which for some reason he could not comprehend, triggered Dove. "God, Jaune, it's not as cool as it sounds. Back at home, citizen was a crime-specialist; we practically have to solve the crimes ourselves. Though, it was usually done with lynch-mobs." Sky chuckled a tad bit, as Dove was met with a look of doubt, etched on Sun.

"Oh, so you think it sounds boring? Well then what are you four doing?"

"Well, _nerd,_ if you must know, we're gonna go explore recently uncovered ruins of a civilization that no one has ever heard or seen of, which is surely going to rewrite human history as you and I know it."

"..."

"..."

"... Oh, and it's also haunted, too."

"... W... why didn't you guys tell us this before?" Nora inquired of CRDL, her face being the most befuddled out of everyone else, to met with an answer from Cardin.

"We just felt like you guys didn't deserve to know about it."

"Pfft, fine, whatever. It sounds super boring anyways." Nora would inform the four brothers, letting herself be barraged by stares of doubt; the brother believed her to be a liar.

"Well, whatever you say, Nora. We're gonna go uncover the ancient past of humanity, while your team is just gonna go to some podunk village and follow a sheriff around, sounds super fun. Oh, and the ruins are haunted by ghosts, don't forget that."

"There's no such thing as _ghosts,_ Cardin. Only superstitious children would believe in such concepts."

Weiss, instead of being met with a well-thought out response that would refute her statement, would only be mocked like a child by Sky. "Awww, is de wittle Ice Pwincess jeawous? You're just jeawous because you don get to expwore a wong, wost civiwization, and uncover the ancient secwets of our past as a species."

The CRDL brother all shared with one another bombastic guffaw, all four legitimately crying in laughter, having to wipe their joyous tears away. It really did wonders at agitating Weiss, making her blush in anger, as she expressed, "J-just like I said: nothing but little, superstitious children." She was met with the sound of mocking laughter ever so rising in volume. "S-Stop laughing!"

"HAHAHA- O-Oh!- I-I-I think she gonna _cwy!_ He-heheh-"

"-Aha! There you are boys!" Just in a snap, the four brothers stopped their joyous fun with messing Weiss around, when they heard the booming tone of Port.

"Aw hell yeah!" Said Sky, the four standing to their feet, grabbing their backpacks, to be met with burly teacher, dressed in a brown leather jacket, plaid-button up shirt, exploration pants and sturdy, black boots, made to endure only the strongest that nature had to offer, while wielding his ever vicious blunderaxe in his hands.

"Are you four ready to uncover the ancient history of man?-"

"-Yeahyeahyeahyeahyeah- Let's go already." Much to his surprise of their eagerness, Port would find himself being dragged into the airship by CRDL, leaving RWBY, JNPR, Sun and Neptune to just stare, as Sky popped his head.

Was it to say goodbye?

Nah, he just pulled one of his bottom eyelids down and blew a raspberry as them, as the mechanical beast sputtered, forcing him to pop back in with the doors shutting.

"... I could literally throttle those four right now." Weiss would let it be known, her icy gaze drilling holes into the ship as it took off, heading southeast of the land below.

"Well then, it is to be a trip, not too long, not too short, so let yourselves rest for your exploration." Richard would inform the five, as they sat themselves in their seats, backpacks laying down onto the metal surface.

"It's too sweet that we got you, Port. I was expecting Oobleck to be the guy we get, since he's, you know, a history teacher."

Peter, to Cardin and his brother, recalled his experience a few days ago. "Ah, yes, I can recall the exact moment when Ozpin confronted me about this mission. You should have see the Doctor Oobleck's reaction. His fist were write as snow, biting his lips, the man was using every fiber in his being not to give the slightest hint of jealousy. But I could tell, how he wanted to salivate at the thought of getting to explore such a site to begin with, that would most certainly shed light upon whom we once were."

"... Why didn't Ozpin give the mission to Oobleck, then?"

"Well, Dove, it's simple: once a hunter takes up a mission to be shadowed by students, they can't switch to another."

"Ohhhh."

"Yes, yes..."

"..."

"... So, this will be the first time you four will be returning home, as I understand."

"Yep," Sky replied, putting a bit of oomph on the 'p,' "we won't actually... be going to our exact home. We're going to just dropped off at the site, right?"

"Right." Sure-Shank confirmed.

"Yeah, so, we won't really get to visit our town, our friends, or our mom."

"I see. Well, I hope that... doesn't demoralize you four for the mission."

"Nah nah," Russel reassured the portly man, "we're fine with it. It's not like being demoralized will put us in much danger anyways. There's nothing to really threaten us at the ruins, except for... well-"

"-The ghosts?" Cardin inquired, knowing how stupid of a question it was, realizing that Russel may have meant to refer to the White Fang.

"... Yeah, the ghoooosts... they're probably the only things we gotta... hell- I don't know. Hey! Has anyone been... attacked by the ghosts, guys?"

Richard and Sure-Shank remained silent, their eyes looking towards one another, yet their heads stayed still, prompting Russel's blue eye to narrow; had they lied to them?

"Well, Russel... the workers had noticed that... the deeper they go, the stronger the activity is. The stronger it gets... the more restless the spirits become..."

"... And by restless, do you mea-"

"-Look," Richard, his hand being raised in front of him, as his pale eyes bored into the flesh of Thrush, "don't worry about it, okay? The four of you aren't going too deep to be exposed to... such... such madness. The worst that you five may experience is just... feeling someone touch you, when no one is near you."

That did nothing but shift the tone of the mission for CRDL. Of course they were still excited, for what else would be more worthy than being one of the men who are sent into ruins below of a civilization unknown to man today. Yet... now it was apparent, that Richard and Sure-Shank were most indeed withholding information of what the spirits are truly capable of. But it was just as Richard said: they weren't going down too deep to face such madness, whatever in the name of Remnant that meant.

With hours to come, the forests, fields, and seas to be passed below, the men watched, as soon as they spotted the familiar, grey beaches of Disown, desolate on such a misty day for the island. Watching cliff-sides, topped by brown grass, villages and towns, seemingly to be barely gotten past their times as being nothing more than colossal shanty-towns, having moved on with each building be replaced by one of consisted material, be it wood or concrete, all mostly topped with flat roofs, and roads betwixt the homes, smoothly paved, with dashes of white , yellow dashes, or double yellow lines down the middle.

They would too be left behind, with there coming to be the forests now, being trees of white bark and dark-gray leaves, the grass still brown as ever, as civilization became distant from the boys, giving them a fleeting look of their homeland, before the surface below became mostly of wet, reflective crags, among it a road, at the end of which was an immense area was fenced off, appearing to be heavily guards by soldiers, airships following along the line of separation, tanks covered in brush, sitting still in the sides of the roads, jeeps mounted with turrets, and huntsmen of Disown.

"We're here." All that was spoken by Shank, as CRDL, Port, Richard, stared out into the wilderness, witnessing as they stopped right over a massive sinkhole, unbelievable in it size.

It was not too deep, say to be about a hundred meters or so, but its own diameter was that of almost a whole mile. On the bottom, they clearly see the station that had been set up, crawling with hundreds of soldiers, near it being pads for landing, and not too far away, was a gargantuan, perfect, rectangular hole, led with a stairway, with two beastly, beautifully carved slabs, obviously decorated by reliefs, opened to the side; it was a door for giants, to enter into the crust of Disown, or at least that's how CRDL and Port saw it, their mouths agape, as the airship slowed itself down onto one of the pads below.

"That... that damn thing is huge!"

"Heh heh- do not be too taken aback, Sky. That is only the mere entrance for where your mission will begin." Sky honestly was too enamored with having just been given but a glimpse of the ruins, as was for his team, and even Port, grabbing their packs, hearing the mechanical doors groan, creak, revealing to them a short, old man- not aged as Richard, mind you. His skin of a yellowish tone, and his eyes, slanted and brown. On his head was a pith helmet, while he was covered in a vest, white-dirtied shirt, being tightened by his own backpack, slacks just as stained, and brown boots, lacing falling apart, as he stepped into the airship.

"Is this them? The students?" He inquired, in a voice that could be described as throaty, yet of a higher, but barely, pitch, than that of an average man his age.

"Yes, boys, this is Dr. Grun, he will be the archaeologist that you'll assist down into the construct." The five would quickly exchange hands with the doctor, as they left the airship, out into the crisp, nose-burning air of the sinkhole.

"I assume you all have been informed of... the going-ons of the ruins, yes?"

"If you are talking about the ghosts, then yeah, we heard of them. Don't worry about us being scared of them though" Russel confirmed, the group slowly walking their own way, among the dozens of soldiers, tents, parked vehicles holding equipment designed for exploring the depths.

"Good, good, now, the underground construct that we'll be going into is unique. When we head down those stairs, we'll find ourselves at an epicenter, with four passages leading deep beneath us; we've already gone into three of them, but for us, we will be heading into the fourth one, having been left alone completely until today. In there, we will go through hallways, each having ten rooms exactly, holding within pots, paintings, skeletons, and much more. Our job, for us, is to go through a hundred rooms, as we take count of what we find in each room, until we reach what we call landmark chambers, we will take count of what is in there as well, and then we will finally return to the surface. Does it sound simple enough?"

"..."

"..."

"... Y-Yeah," Cardin responded, his mind having been exhausted by listening to the man yap on and on about the details of their mission, "I think we understand."

The eight men stopped, once having reached the entrance, giving the boys a sense of how massive the doors were, being about as thick as three, maybe even four Cardins. As such, unfortunately, that meant they were too tall for them to examine the carvings. The stairs, led down into the past of man, lights hung by tethers, strewn onto the walls, being similar to the color of garnets, and seemingly, almost unbelievably smooth. Sky would touch a bit of it, feeling to him as if he had run his fingers over a window, covered in rain.

Down into the gargantuan stairway, seeing the diminutive exit from above, Richard said, "Welp... have fun down there, boys..."


	15. Chapter 15

"Here we are, gentlemen, where our journey begins."

The four brothers, the professor, stood before what the stairways led to below: a circular chamber, in the middle being a stone, mossy, cracked bowl of sorts, obviously left to be for the past centuries, large enough for one to bathe an Ursa minor. The air floated in coldness, though not strong enough to burn nostrils, and neither severe enough to cause a shiver; in some way, it felt comfortable to stand in the building's cold nature.

From the staircase entrance, across the room, were four rectangular passages, three clearly well-lit by previous expeditions, deep into the underground, with one being left to its own gentle darkness, beckoning forward the architect, as he spoke.

"This here will be the passage we enter. On each floor, there are ten rooms, in which we will record their relics. Once we clear each floor, we will head further down into the next, and the next, until we reach the chamber after we cleared a hundred rooms. Now, is there anymore questions you all have, before we begin the expedition?"

"... Yeah, is... is there anything else to worry about down there? Or is it the _ghoooost_ we have to be aware of?" Russel inquired, his mind having been struck in particular by Richard's words in the airship.

"No. As deep as we have gone, we have found... nothing, yet, to pose a threat to us, other than the haunting of this construct."

"That's another thing, Richard acted back on the ship as if we could be harmed by the spirits, is it true?"

"... Yes," The presence of the chamber fell into mild dread, as the brother looked among one another, their expressions varying in small degrees of blanching, while Port, standing behind them, remained visibly calm. Visibly, but the anxiety did dwell within, for ghosts were more than out of Port's league. Our anyone's league for that matter, as far as any of the sic men knew. "But, do not worry. The spirits only grow restless the deeper we go. They tend to... start harming men after about twenty floors or so."

"... Twenty? Twenty floors? Two hundred rooms? How fucking big is this thing?" The old man chuckled, his features narrowing and stretching extremely, as he turned back at Sky.

"Kehheheh- well, so far the deepest we have gone through before retreating is... I'd say a little over a thousand rooms or so."

"..." Sky silently nodded his head, as the feeling of malaise took over. "Retreat, huh? You were all just retreating from... the ghosts, right?"

"Yes."

"Nice."

"Now, I'm assuming you all brought your own light-sources for our journey?" The four brothers raised their lanterns to their fronts, while Port simply pull out a flashlight. "Good, all of you will count everything we find in each room," Dr. Grun would hold up his own clipboard, papers attached, and a pen of shining properties, "and I will keep track of them, understand?" The man was met with affirmative yeses. "Then let's go, we will rest after having gone through fifty rooms."

And so, CRDL led the way, their lanterns lit with white lights, combined to offer more than enough guidance for them to move forward, Cardin leading the way, as Port followed behind, his flashlight smacking against the walls of the darken corridor, the circle of white revealing much more than needed of the amber-like walls, clean of cracks or plant growth from the dirt.

"Here we are: first room!" Cardin proclaimed, as he stuck his arm out through the first, empty doorway of stone. "Annnd... its nothing but shit." Not true, for it was filled with pottery. Shattered, that is, pieces of age, molded shards of clay and other minerals scattered about the perfectly flat floor. There was a bed frame, of rotted wood. But there was nothing more.

"If this discovery bores you, Winchester, don't worry. The deeper we go, the more peculiar and fascinating its own contents become."

"Yeah yeah..." Cardin stepped aside for the old man to pass, his pen clicking in anticipation. Russel, Dove, and Sky would end up taking count of the broken pottery, as the archaeologist stood back, taking down the numbers, as Cardin and Port waited near the doorway.

"All right, onto the next." From across the room, was another, where the professor and Winchester entered first, finding again more broken pottery. But alongside it, were these sheets of dried animal skin, etched upon them with ink, of images from the past.

"Ah, Cardin, look at this!" Port would exclaim, as he picked up one of the dried pieces, an action Cardin would have questioned. But he didn't. "Paintings! Or at least I think they are." The two studied the image, seemingly of two blockish-figures, one smaller than the other, looking up at a circular, gray object.

"You think that's... the moon?"

"Perhaps. It could be it before it was shattered."

"Should you even be holding that?" Russel questioned the professor, having just entered with the rest of the expedition, only to be answered by Grun.

"Not really; any other archaeologist would be livid at the sight of him holding that, but with there being so much having been discovered further down, I'd say there's no harm with one of them crumbling to pieces."

"... Okay." It wasn't okay, at least Russel believed it wasn't, as he went with his brothers to take count of the old pottery and paintings. He felt as if it was just a little disrespectful to handle such ancient artifacts with little care for their current state of stability. But disrespectful to who? The dead? Perhaps, though Russel just accepted it anyhow. The other paintings were of different scenes. Some being of what Russel could figure out to be forests, with hunters running for animals. Though what animals were they? They looked big, with horns and red outlines, while some looked exactly the same like the hunters, except just running on all fours.

None of them had time to examine them further, Dr. Grun would express, as they went on to another room. Within it, were more pottery, more bed frames with rotted sheets, yet only a few paintings scattered around.

Take count, take count. The brothers did as so, and when finished, they went onto the next room, the fourth. There was more of a variety of furniture in it, and by that, there were only chairs, loose, missing some legs, and big, rectangular, rotten, rotten, rotten dressers, filled with nothing but unsalvageable cloth.

Say it out loud of what resided here, and move on. They did as so, for the next five rooms, five rooms filled with nothing more but the same old relics they've encountered already, taking count of them, waiting as the old man written down all the numbers he head in this temple. Even despite remembering the haunted nature of this place- which so far they had not experienced, the brothers felt exhausted from boredom already, as Port just started to feel himself drain from the lack of variety in discovery.

Until they reached the last room of the floor, finding to be filled with nothing, except for a, "Skeleton!" as Sky would exclaimed, rushing up, his lantern brightening the surface of etched bone. It was but a human skeleton, its wrists and ankles strapped onto the chair, implying this to be more of a temporary cell for whoever this once was.

"Shit, Sky, calm down," Dove said to his brother, walking up to get a closer look of the skeleton, noticing the etching of its bones. "What the hell? What is this shit?"

"What are you speaking of?"

"Grun- doctor, this... these runes, shit, whatever they are. What is it?"

'Hm, ah- this looks to be what we've been assuming to be the, uh... language of this civilization."

"Ohhh... okay, so they carve their language onto skeletons? Is that it?"

A smile, of amusement, knowing the answer- or theory- to that question, came upon Grun. "Heheh, you say that as a joke, Dove. But, we so far have found nothing resembling to be that of a book, or written text on stone, so far. Yet, we constantly find remains, having been marked by these symbols, their language. As we've brought more and more out, I would sometimes ponder that this is how they record stories, history, events, their... knowledge. Not the dried skin of their paintings, but rather on the bones of their deceased."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"... Woooooow... thaaaat's pretty cool." Cardin dragged on, grinning as well, though it was more in the shape of how one would smile in when told of disturbing information. Even if it is just Grun's theory, the thought of a whole civilization recording everything they've known onto the bones of their dead was incredibly grim.

"Yes. I am honestly surprised that we have found a skeleton that resembles a normal human. This probably... the second, or maybe even third, that we have discovered that looks like it could have been in a non-mutated human."

"W... what are you talking about?" Russel inquired, his mind stuttering a moment, processing what Grun spoke, as he himself took down on his clipboard: one skeleton, one chair.

"Oh, don't worry, all of you will find out soon enough. Now come, for we march down into the second floor." With that, Port was the first to leave the room, followed by all, the feet echoing down, as they entered another stairway, taking them down a good twenty steps or so, into the second floor.

Room eleven, filled with the usual, broken creations, of pottery and furniture. Though it did have what resembled to be a crib of sorts, for a baby, maybe? Yet it was empty. In room twelve and thirteen, nothing but the same. Fourteen through sixteen, nothing but the same, except for a rack, that of which held, "weapons?"

"Yes, professor," Grun stated, as he stepped up to the burly man's side, "these are but a few of their weapons we will find down here. Axes, swords, daggers, all seemingly to be left safe from time." It was true, much to the bewilderment of the brothers and Port, staring at metal, at wood, looking as if they had just came out of a workshop, finely crafted, decorated, with blades of red, blue, silver, and gold.

"Why the hell do they look fresh?" Pitter-patter, pitter-patter- "WHAT THE-?!" Russel went, as fast as he could, turned 180 to shine his lantern towards the doorway, revealing nothing out of the norm.

"What? What is it?"

"You didn't fucking hear that?, Dove?"

"I heard it." Cardin said, "it sounded like footsteps," as he went out of the door, shining his lantern both ways, catching sight of nothing, with Sky and Port coming out to examine the hallway with him; the professors flashlight gave them much-needed distance, yet there was still nothing to be seen but the darkness being evaporated by light. Meanwhile, Grun was just looking at his clipboard, taking down the numbers.

"It's the ghosts, men, the spirits. And they will deliver us more than mere footsteps, so brace yourselves for them." Russel and Dove followed him out, looking at one another now with uncertain expressions, yet saying nothing, as everyone went into the seventeenth room. Home to another skeleton, missing a few of its own pieces though. Yet it skull remained, being to most notable.

"What... what is that?" Dove asked Grun, their light revealing a skull of what looked to be a normal shaped skull of a human, yet all over its cranium were sockets, of all kinds of sizes, meant for the eyes to inhabit within.

"A skull."

"Yeah, but what the fuck? Look at it, that's not a fucking normal human skull."

"Yes, you are correct. It's like I said: the first we found resembled a perfect human. The rest though... they are of other creatures." Everyone stood still, staring down at it, at the alien skull, their minds racing along with thoughts of how this humanoid may have looked, when it was alive. "There's still more to come, so get on counting."

Count, count, count. They did as they were told, with hesitance, as their eyes occasionally glanced over once in awhile at the abnormal skull, its face staring forward at the doorway. When they finished, rooms eighteen to twenty were next, completely lackluster in terms of having anything peculiar, or more rather inhuman, unnatural.

And to the third floor they went, already feeling their minds strain in mild tiredness; having to constantly count out what lied before them was surprisingly tiresome, thought that skull, and the footsteps, added at least some for of adrenaline, with their hearts beating in anticipation for what else was to come.

In the twenty-first room, there was nothing, literally nothing. The twenty-second and twenty-third, nothing as well. Where did it all go? The twenty-fourth room, apparently, because in reality, it was filled to the brim with what would have been pottery, paintings, furniture, though it was all destroyed, ripped apart.

"... Do we have to take count of all of this?" Dove would inquire of Grun.

"No, no, no. We'll... we'll just have the soldiers clean it out."

To the twenty-fifth room, they would go, yet stopping midway, as they started to listen to what sounded like something was rummaging through the mess of the twenty-fourth room, hearing shards scraping, scraping, scraping, scraping.

Cardin and Port went back to the doorway, as the sound stopped, right as the Winchester's lantern, and Port's flashlight, filled up the room.

"Anything in there?" Grun would casually ask, faintly smiling, unintentionally getting himself confused looks from Dove, Sky, and Russel, baffled by his tranquility with the paranormal.

"... No. No one's in there." Port replied, his narrow eyes slowly searching the room, his thick, white brows twitching.

"Well, then keep on moving then." The doctor led himself into the twenty fifth room, followed by the rest of CRDL, stopping in awe as their lanterns revealed two more skeletons. One, sat in a chair, not strapped to it. Its hands and feet looked more as if it belonged to a canine of sorts, while its skull definitely belonged to a dog, or more so a wolf. Yet despite that, the second skeleton was more impressive.

Sky would be the first to exclaim, "T-That fucking thing is huge!" Before the first one, was a giant, chained up against the wall, with human-esque features, save for only having one eye socket. "It must have stood at twenty, thirty feet TALL at least!" It was the masochist claimed such a fact, that Port and Cardin came in, both becoming nothing but bodies for awe-inspiring feelings, gazing upon the gargantuan, rune-etched skeleton.

"By the Gods- it's massive!"

"It is, isn't it, professor?" Dr. Grun asked, writing down the the chair and two skeletons. "I haven't seen like that, so far. Interesting, how many surprises one can fine here. Let's keep on moving." The five reluctantly did as so, still looking at the giant, canine-humanoid, skeletal remains for a few seconds, before Grun spoke up. "Come on now, there's plenty more for you all to gawk at further down!"

They followed him down, going through rooms twenty-six through thirty, the noteworthy thing coming across of being a rather large canavs of dried skin, nailed onto a wall, painted on it an army of figures, ranging in shapes and sizes, as they stood before a cliffside, on top of which a blue figure stood on top, holding what they could only guess to be a sword, perhaps, or maybe a rather large dagger, as Sky suggested.

Anyhow, they went one, down to the fourth floor, Russel leading them down this time. It was he left off the last step, that for a second, the Bronzewing boy immediately jumped back, into Cardin, as he started to panic. "FUCKFUCKK- CARDIN!-"

"SHOT- DOVE! What the fuck is it?!"

"I, just saw something FUCKING looking at me!" The two stood by eachother sides, Dove clutching onto his leader's elbow, his heart throbbing hard, as he pointed towards a doorway, the second one on the right. "Over there! It was FUCKING poking its head out from there!" The two would quickly rush over without hesitation, having pulled out their weapons, as they entered into the room, finding there to be nothing. Absolutely nothing in the room.

"Dove..."

"IT WAS HERE! I FUCKING SAW IT! SOMETHING, CARDIN, WAS LOOKING RIGHT AT ME FROM THIS ROOM!"

"Dove, calm down," he heard Port's voice, turning around to find the rest of the group having caught up to them, "calm down, and... tell us what you saw."

"... I... it was... it was like a human, kind of. But its skin was... it black, like fucking pitch-black." Cardin's heart skipped a beat. "And it's eyes, they were just white, bright, fucking white. With sharp-ass teeth." It sounded much like that hallucination, or monster, in the woods that night.

Grun asked, "That's what you saw?" and Dove would nod his head, prompting the doctor to now look around the room, in all its emptiness. At first glance, one would not notice all of the scratched on the walls, belonging to a claw with three nails. "... Well, there isn't much I can say about it, other than what you saw was an apparition."

"... Yeah? That's what I saw?"

Grun shrugged, "Well... what did you think apparitions were?"

"No no, I know what they fucking are. It's just that you seem pretty damn calm despite all of this happening."

"Well... I will acknowledge that. But it is mostly due to I having spent more time down here than probably anyone else. Once you get to know the unknown, it becomes... a little less frightening."

"... Only a little?"

"Yes... only a little."

"..."

"Now come, we must keep going." No one would speak for the rest of the floor, not even to express opinions or shock when they stumbled upon the remains of humanoids, of skulls too large for their bodies, arms too long for the average human, finger bones growing out of an entire skeleton, tusks sprouting from their bottom jaws, crossed between animals and man, or just generally looking like a mutant.

When hearing footsteps, thumping, knocking on the walls, however, they would bat an eye, just to make sure nothing was there, their beating up against their ribs whenever turning around, waiting for their turn to be met with a ghastly image or vision or mirage, waiting, waiting.

After having cleared the fortieth, in it being the crushed skulls of what they feared to be belonging of infants- Sky joked about them being little people instead, but they knew better- they would head down into the next floor that awaited. In room forty-three, Cardin would come across a painting, that of which unnerved him to the fullest that any human could achieve.

It was not much, but a, surprisingly detailed, tall figure, with lanky arms, lanky legs, on a lanky body, that was pure black. Yet in the middle of it, there remained to be a white, perfectly equal, triangle; it was it, wasn't it? Yet Cardin did not say a word about it, and no one caught sight of him shoving it in his backpack, intending to examine it, then burn it to ash.

They're coming

It was when they were about to enter room forty-four when the explorers heard the disembodied, whimpering voice, a woman, whispering, like she was from someone. But nobody said a word about it, all they did was stop in their tracks, waiting, ears spasming and grips tightening on their sources of light, soon going back to their mission and entering into the room to take count of the broken past.

It just so happened, they'd find a skeleton, curled up, wearing rags, hidden within a closet. Unlike the majority of them, this one looked to be that of a perfect human.

In room forty-five, it was a mess of goods, too damaged to take count of properly, mixed with scattered ulna, ankles, wrist bones, teeth, skull fragments. Now being a pack rat apparently, Cardin noticed a golden, curved knife, hidden among the rubbish, the sight of which seduced Cardin into taking it with him as well, another hidden addition to his backpack.

For forty-six through forty-nine, gem were discovered, these large, maybe a foot-long, purplish beauties, beckoning Cardin to yet again take one for his own. Albeit it won't serve any purpose to him, unlike the painting or the knife, but it is pretty, and Cardin wouldn't mind having one of them just to decorate their room, perhaps he could set it up on one of their crates.

"Did one of you just lick my hand?"

"... What?" Dove inquired of Sky, looking over at his brother, seeing him staring down at his own hand.

"Something just... I think licked my hand..."

"... Weird." Dove responded dismissively, feeling that being licked by something unknown is not the worst thing to happen to Sky. He knew it must not be a pleasant sensation, to be licked by a ghost, but still, it's not that bad.

Sky felt otherwise though, "Weird? Weird. That's all you gotta say?"

"Well, yeah, what the hell do you want any of us to say about that, Sky?"

"Dude, a ghost licked my hand, DOVE!"

"And I don't care enough about it, Sky, okay? I literally don't care enough about it."

 _THUMP, THUMP, THUMP_

"Well I fucking cared about that apparition you s-"

"-Sky, shut up. That's a order, you little shi-" Cardin cut himself off, turning to his back in the blink of an eye, appearing to be immensely disgruntled by something, as he rubbed the back of his head.

"... Did you feel something touch you?" Port guessed, not meeting up his eyes with Cardin's.

"... Fucking- come on, let's just fucking go to the next room."

"Yes, we are almost done for the day. Just one more room, and then we can finally rest." One last room, finally. The four brothers would lead the way to the fiftieth, and final room for the day. And when they entered into the square chamber, the sight of a statue, stood before them, the only object of the room.

It was made in the image of a humanoid, a creature, hunched over, in a begging position of sorts, atop a block, with an overweight torso of man. Its arms however, looked disproportionate, with biceps and forearms as skinny as a twig, yet its hands were freakishly large, with only four, fat digits, instead of five. As for the legs, there were none. Instead in their place, looked to be that of a slug's own tail. On the altar's front, of which this thing hunched upon, as a plaque, made metal that clearly was not the same as that of the weapons, being a rugged, filthy old thing, written on it more of the characters that belonged to the ancient language of these people, or more akin to monsters.

"Look at this, Grun. Have you seen anything like this so far?" Cardin asked the old man, having just made his way into the last room of the day, as his wizened eyes laid upon the stone abomination.

"Hm, yes, we do come across statues from time to time. But so far, not one is the same as the other. And this one," the doctor went up to the statue, looking at where a face should be, only to see a smooth, blank surface, "... is no exception. " One statue. "All right. Well then, shall we rest in here? Or would you all prefer the hallway?"

Everyone chose the room with what Sky referred to as "Slug-Man," feeling more comfortable with the thought of not being pulled into one of the other rooms when sleeping in the hallway. So they unpacked all that the brought, sleeping bags, snacks, drinks... that was about it. Nothing really else was brought. One lantern would remain lit, Cardin's, as he placed it at the base of Slug-Man.

"So, how you boys liking... liking this mission, so far?"

"... Eh."

"Eh? Are you not enjoying your time here?" Went Port, eyeing Cardin.

"When I say _eh_ , professor, I mean I'm just... this just wasn't what I was expecting, honestly."

"And what is it about this place that you did not expect, Winchester?" Grun inquired, just blankly staring up into the ceiling, as he let himself be enveloped by his own sleeping bag.

"... The skeletons. I thought they'd be human, but nah, they aren't, are they? Whoever it was that lived here were fucking monsters, weren't they?"

"I wouldn't call them monsters, Cardin-"

"-Nah, that's right, you said mutants, I remember. Everything that lived here was a filthy abomination. We came from these fuckers."

"Now now, I did say mutants, but... we still don't know what they really were, Cardin; that's just what we're currently calling them."

"Well there no fucking way they were all born like that, or else some of us would be born like them today."

"Maybe the faunus are descendants of these freaks," Sky chimed in, "they're animalistic like these skeletons, so maybe the genetics or shit like that just toned down as centuries went by."

Russel would counter his brother, however, having snuggled himself into his sleeping bag, staring up into the ceiling of this temple. "Mmmm... not really. These remains have features that aren't really animalistic. Like that skull with all those sockets? Or how about the cyclops we saw? That basically fucking confirms that they were once real."

Someone started to groan, not from their room, but the one across from them, where the lantern struggled to reach. It'd only last for a few seconds though, the entirety having been allowed in silence from the men, as their heads craned over into the direction, their eyes remaining blanks until it stopped, giving them permission to look back at one another, eyes flicking from one another.

"... I'm more bothered by what's here now." Dove, huddled in a corner, facing a wall, made it known, "I don't mind if we're all descendants of mutants, or if these were just as born as they were. But... what I saw, and what we're hearing... it's just surreal, to experience this for the first time. I'm glad we're not going deeper than a hundred rooms; I don't want to face whatever it is that made you all retreat."

"..."

"... Welp, I believe chit-chat is over now. We'll need as much sleep as we can for what lies ahead, tomorrow."

"Counting broken vases and bones?"

"And paintings, don't forget paintings, Cardin."

"... Thanks Sky." So they slept, Cardin, Grun, Port, Sky, Russel, and Dove, as the statue was circled by all of them, the lantern wading off any darkness that wanted to take them oh so desperately, sleeping tightly in the comforting light. The sweet light, they took comfort within its sweet protection.

It burns... it burns..


	16. Chapter 16

The statue was gone.

When they woke up, the statue was gone, with the stone podium that of which it stood on still remaining, while Cardin's own lantern was smashed to pieces, as a trail of a greenish, slime-like substance coated and trailed out of the room.

No one said a word about it, but Port, whom advised the brother to keep their weapons close, and Grun closer, stating that they may have to dispose of Slug-Man down the line. And it seemed to be the truth, for when they left the room with one lantern short- as if Cardin ever needed it to begin with- the trail of slime headed for the stair way that would take them to the next floor of room fifty-one to sixty.

And when they reached that very floor, hesitant, with Cardin leading the way, mace clutched with both of his hands, his golden eyes piercing through the darkness before him, they found the slime trail continued forward, deeper down. But Grun made it clear, "I know you all would love nothing more than to have closure on... the whereabouts of him, but we must take count first."

To their reluctance, CRDL and Port found themselves doing exactly so, though now this time, Cardin stood outside the doorway of each room now, his gaze surveying the hallways, staring forward to the next set of stairs for them to go down to, half-expecting to see Slug-Man himself climbing up them. But now, instead Cardin would catch sight of these orbs of light, about two or three of them, float from room to room, disappearing into the chambers. They beautiful in terms of the unknown, but Cardin, in his gut, was wary of them, keeping his distance from them as he and the men cleared each room.

It was at the last room- the sixtieth- that Cardin would witness a horror that made him run into the room. A man- mutated- crawling on the ceiling, coming from the stairway to the upper floor they slept on, skin black as night, his head twisted to stair at Cardin properly, of a sinewy build.

"What? Is everything okay, Young Winchester?" Port inquired of the student, worryingly so, as he stared at the tensed-back of Cardin, who just responded by telling them to hurry up already.

It was gone when they came out, either- as Cardin pondered- having gone into one of the other rooms, or just disappearing into thin air. Whatever the answer was, Cardin felt more comfortable with knowing that he got to lead the way down into the next floor. There, they found him, or the husk of him at least, curled up a few meters into the hallway

"Is that?..."

"Yes... it's Slug-Man."

" _Oh noooo._ " The halberdier went, rushing over to the body. It was indeed Slug-Man, his skin, rough, grayish-brown, chipping away, his teeth rotten, and sockets empty. "Slug-Man... I hardly knew thee." Everyone gathered around the body, visibly more baffled by the sight than Sky was, staring down at what was once a statue, now a corpse, dried, as if Slug-Man had perished long ago.

"This is new. Never have we encountered anything like this before."

"Oh, really? You all never found a statue of some mutant, only to have come to life and wander off, finding its FUCKING LIFELESS BODY further down?"

"... No, not really." Russel's face went to that of raging disbelief at how peaceful Grun sounded, his eye narrowing, upper-lip raising, forehead wrinkling, just livid about how calm he can be.

"Well, not much we can do really. He's dead, so we don't gotta worry about him no more."

"Yes, Cardin, come, let us resume our task at hand."

"Rest in peace, Slug-Man." Sky commented, as everyone left Russel to follow them into the sixty-first room, filled with the typical relics: smashed vases, paintings of imagery, disturbing, and majestic sometimes. The skeletons were just as mutated as ever, now exhibiting more animalistic or alien features: some skull were elongated to a foot long, limbs now ended in hooves instead of palms with digits, some even had wings, either originating from the backs, or just being a combination of their arms.

Help me, please.

"Slug-Man?" Sky ran out of the room, finding his body to still be in the same position. "Oh." They swept through the rest of the floor, each room seemingly looking more and more as the aftermath of a battle. Swords and axes lying a few centimeters from the hand bones, with skeletons suffering from crushed rib-cages, snapped femurs, or caved-in skulls. Though no one said a word about it; just do you job as you were told, with the occasional touching of the skin or tugging of the clothing catching them off guard for a moment.

Sky would take one more glance at the remains of Slug-Man before they headed down the next staircase, entering into the next floor, notably quite messier than the last, with broken vases, smashed chairs, ripped apart paintings strewn about, weapons of ancient times side-by-side with, an of course, destroyed bones laying down from whatever it was that slain them. It all made it a rather difficult task to find something that would be worthwhile to take a count of. But they made due with what they were given in each room.

One room- the sixty-seventh, or eighth, everyone has lost count at that point and forgot about it- in particular was just stuffed to the brim with the skeletal remains of toddlers, headless though, somewhat of a callback to the room they found earlier, filled with all the crushed baby-skulls. Grun did not even bother looking at it, as he instead entered the other room across from it, to be followed by students and professor, who on the other-hand could not help themselves from gazing upon such a ghastly sights.

They could swear they heard babies crying when they started to head down the next set of stairs. It only encouraged everyone to take the pace up a notch, to only rushed into a completely fucked floor. Walls were smashed into, everything was was either singed or ripped apart, there just nothing at all in these chambers that was in good enough condition to be worth taking count of. Just a bloody mess that the ghosts played in, moving and dragging in the obliterated remains of their home, as Grun mumbled to himself of how worthless this floor was to him.

They probably only spent five minutes or so on this floor before heading down into the next. And what do you know, but for it is completely spotless, void of the smallest dusts, the faintest scratch, why it was just perfectly spotless, not even similar to the very first floor though, for unlike that, this one was utterly removed of any physical object, be it vase, chair, bed, cloth, bone, painting, weapon, gem, just another room that Grun would have expected it to be worthless.

But except for one, the last room, where on a stone pedestal, stood a jar, of golden glass, filled with a dark green liquid, and in it was preserved.

"... Is that a brain?" Cardin questioned, as he and Dove went up to examine it, indeed confirming that it was what the Winchester asked. "It is!"

"Is it now?" Grun followed, stepping in front of Dove to further examine it. "Amazing, a preserved brain! We've never found anything like this." He was quick to write down: one pedestal, one brain, down onto the paper, while everyone else joined in to gaze upon what was mostly a boring sight really. A mere brain in a jar to the brothers, while Port, whom was slightly more fascinated by it than the boys, was still not as amazed as he had been by the remains of skeletons.

That was until Sky decided to touch it for but a moment, at first an absolute horrid mistake.

"OHHH- FUCK!" Everyone around had blasted way, overwhelmed, feeling their chests tighten as their backs slammed the walls of the room, forced down for an instant by an unseen force, not having been given the chance to even activate their auras; Grun was lucky that he had been thrown into Dove, or else he was sure his old, decrepit body would be absolutely broken in half.

Russel, in a coughing fit, would be immediate in berating his leader. "CAAGH!- CARDIN, YOU FUCKER! What the hell did you do?!"

"SOD OFF, CUNT! I didn't do nuffin!" Sky shot back, struggling to get up, pretty sure of himself that his left arm was broken, maybe.

"Like hell you didn't! You fucking touched it and we're sent off like fucking ragdolls! Why can't you fucking keep your goddamn pervy hands all to yourself, freak?!"

"Please, please, stop! It is not his fault! I didn't mean to hurt any of you!" Spoke a womanly voice, youthful, sweet, soothing to the ears of the men.

"... Did... did that brain just talk?" Port, sitting himself against the wall, inquired. "Or am I just disoriented?"

"No, you are right. I am the one who spoke, and I am the one responsible for what happened-"

"-Holy shit!" Sky, not learning a damn thing, hastily came and plucked the jar up from the pedestal. "You can talk?!"

"Y-Yes, but please be careful. If this jar is destroyed, then I will perish out in the open. So please be careful."

No one cared about her warning though- save for Sky- for as one would expect, they were taken extremely aback from the fact that a brain was talking to them.

"H-How?!" Dove would question, "This isn't happening- how the hell are you talking?! B-brains can't talk! And how can you even speak our language?!"

"I've come to learn every single word of your language when Sky touched my container."

"... HOW?!"

"Yeah, how?" Sky asked, sounding more calm than Dove. "Also, how do you know my name?"

"I know you name because when you touched my glass, I absorbed all of your memories, your knowledge on everything there is to know about the world today. As such, I've come to understanding your language just as much as you do, along with knowing the names of everyone here: Peter Port, Cardin Winchester, Dove Bronzewing, Russel Thrush, Doctor Grun, and you, Sky Lark."

"... Okay, cool," Sky nodded, his lips pouting, brushing off the ramifications of what this means, "then who are you? What's your name?"

"I am Rosemary, of the Soloman Empire."

"Soloman Empire? Are they the ones who built this temple?"

Rosemary answered Grun, "Temple? This place was no temple. To all of you, this would be more of what you all call... asylums, or a laboratory. But it would be turned into a fort by the end of our rule."

"Amazing. Y-you... you are the key that we've been looking for. Oh, how much you can tell us about what we've found down here! About our past!" His grin was as large as his old face could manage to deliver, with his few teeth shining in the lantern's light, and eyes, widen, reflecting the light with pure joy.

"So does this mean we can finish up early?"

"... No. We should at least see what else is left, then we can leave." Sky sighed, his bright blue eyes rolling, setting themselves down upon the brain in a jar.

"So... do we take Rosemary with us, or leave her hear."

"No, we'll take her with us Sky. You hold onto her, Cardin, take his lantern."

"... Okay. Yeah, let Sky carry probably the most valuable thing we found in here, who can't even see in the fucking dark."

"If you're gonna be like that, tubby, then fine, you carry Rosemary." He held her out, facing the brute, his golden eyes staring at the golden glass for a second before taking her.

"Ugh- you're such a vile beast. I'd much rather be held by Sky."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm just... why? Why? Why would you do all of this?"

"All of what, fucking tell me, bitch."

"C'mon, c'mon, let's go you two." Grun called for them, forcing Cardin to catch up to the men who just felt it was right to leave him and the most precious being anyone had ever found in this dank place.

"H-Hey! Be careful now! Remember that I will die if I am taken out of this substance."

"Fuck off." They reached the next floor, ninety-one to a hundred, the final frontier of their journey. It is this floor, that they found to be nearly identical to the first floor: filled with nothing more but vases, paintings, and furniture, quite the out of sea feeling, after having discovered the remains of a cyclops, humanoid skeletons, tools of killing that seemed to be ageless, apparitions, hearing voices, feeling an unseeing force touch them, and glowing orbs.

"What are you all doing?"

"We're taking count of what we find in each room."

"Why?" Rosemary, sounding baffled, asked Port. "What purpose does this serve?"

"It serves little purpose, other than letting the soldiers know how much they're going to have to bring out of here."

"Oh, that's nice," Dove went, "what we're doing serves little purpose. Then may I ask: why are we even doing this then?"

"Because albeit being _little,_ it still. Serves. A purpose." Dove could feel his arms tense, his muscles flexing beneath his black sleeves for a second, just wanting to throttle that wrinkly neck of Grun's and watch the life fade from his foul face.

But nah, just keep on counting Dove, you are almost done for the day, as they move from room to room, Rosemary being quiet for the rest, staying in the corners where Cardin clutched her to his chest. He would start tapping on the glass at one point though, prompting her to request him to, "Stop it, you mongrel," which he complied, frowning as he did so.

With the last room having been accounted for, the explorers would wind up not into front of another staircase, but a set of stone doors, carved the reliefs of two figures, a man, and a woman, both human, wearing nothing but robes and sandals, facing in front of them, their stone eyes gazing down at them, judging them like they were nothing more but rats.

"Ah, and here we are. In here, we will take our rest, and return to the surface soon after."

"W-Wait. You dare to enter in there?"

"Yes, Rosemary." Grun started to push the doors open immediately, or at least he tried. It would only be when Port and Russel helped that the doors would actually move.

"W-Wait! Don't-" Rosemary was ignored as the stone dragged against stone, dust falling off in large quantities from the behemoth slabs, to reveal a chamber, built for a giant: about sixty-five feet in diameter, with the ceiling being too high for a standing sarcophagus to reach, which itself stood at a good ninety feet or so, meant to house a man larger than the cyclops. Near it was a lever, which when pulled, would- to the assumption of them- force the two chains attached to the top of the stone lid to pull it up.

It was without mentioning, but they stood before the giant's sarcophagus, admiring its gargantuan size alone, since it was the only thing to appreciate about it really.

"That's his resting place: the last emperor of the Solomons." Rosemary stated, her disembodied voice in the tone of disappointment, almost irritated even, at how they ignored her.

"The last emperor? Who was he?"

"He was Volemont Soloman, the fifty-first," Cardin's eyes bulged, Dove and Russel both shot their gaze down at her little form, while Sky, Grun, and Port still stared up at his tomb, but were indeed taken by shock to hear of a lineage that lasted for fifty-one sons, "it was with his defeat that our empire... our own journey into disarray began. His son refused to take the throne, and left the empire to its own destiny, against a war we could not win without a leader..."

"I see..." Grun walked up to the tomb, his old, creased, trembling hand, brushed the cold stone, dirtying his fingers with the dust that rested upon it.

"Yes, Andreas had no desire to be met with the fate of all our kings. He'd much rather run... run to wherever he hid, to watch our world fall..."

"... Well, I believe our work is done here now."

"So we can go back up now?"

"No," Plainly, the doctor answered, or moreso yawned, "I've grown weary for today. We'll rest for but a few hours or so, then we will return to the surface." So they rolled out the sleeping bags once more, took out the remain foodstuff and drinks, and left one lantern lit between all of them, just as yet another precaution against any wandering spirits, as Cardin laid Rosemary down gently, before pulling his own bag out.

"Are all of you actually willing to sleep in here?"

"Yeh," Sky went, "we already slept in here once, why not do it again?"

"Let's just hope not statue comes to life and smashes our lantern though."

"... What? What do you mean?" Rosemary, puzzled, asked Russel what he meant.

"Oh, when we rested for the first time, we slept near some weird statue of a slug-like humanoid, with one of our lanterns lit next to it. When we woke up, we founf the statue to be gone, and our lantern smashed. We'd end up finding Slug-Man dead, all shriveled up, lifeless."

"... You f-fools. That was one of our patients!"

"What?" Cardin let out, emphasizing the 'h' in it.

"Our patients. When we come across a citizen who was plagued by an unknown disease, we take a piece of their flesh before turning to stone, so that we may try and find a cure for the disease. When we're successful, we expose the patient to light, turning them back to normal and cure them!"

Grun, sounding remorseless- though not intending to sound as such, said, "Oh dear, I am sorry, Rosemary. But we did not know of such a process, so understand that we had no intention of killing Slug-Man-"

"-His name was Pennycoat! One of the most precious jesters we have ever had in the kingdom! Not this bastardization you call _Slug-Man._ "

"... Then why was he a slug?" Insensitive, Sky asked, sounding incredulous when he went on, "was he just born like that? Was every skeleton we found natural to your empire?! Or were they all turned into abominations?"

"They are **not** abominations. They were the right path for us to go down! We were all blessed, to be given the knowledge of ritual from the Kasts-"

"Kast— what?"

"Kasts, you idiot-boy! They were to us what you all call gods. They came to us in our most desperate of age, and gave us the sacred rite to transcend the human body, and shape ourselves into their own image!"

"The image of shit?"

"The image of _perfection,_ you vile, cannibalistic brute."

"Wooo," Cardin raised his hands in self-defense, "hey now, human flesh tastes better than you think." Port blanched, his lips stretching beneath his mustache in disgust; it took a lot to unnerve the portly man, but hearing Cardin admit to having consumed human flesh. Grun however, was not, for he had to resort to vile means of survival during the war with Vale, that and also because he was just too focused on listening, or now asking Rosemary.

"Digress was Cardin says, you mentioned earlier of a war, but with who?"

"... A ravenous monster, a child of the stars, left here on our little world, that rose from the sea with an army from the clouds above, and the grime below. We were forced into an alliance that prove to be fruitless now, with the rest of the kingdoms."

"And who was this... child of the stars?"

"The Kast called him Xixgy, a son of the Neelanths, whom to us are what you would call... demons, the devils, evil. They waged war with the Kasts long before they came to the Solomans, all across the cosmos and beyond."

"That... that sounds a lot like war between aliens." Sky stated, looking around for the face of the team whom agreed. "Right? Like... it literally sounds like a frickin' galactic war between aliens. Doesn't it."

"It does, and it sounded awesome."

"Of course a monstrous man like you would think of millions of men, women, and children dying at the hands of evil would be _awesome,_ Winchester. You and your mother would be executed in our time for being such horrific human beings."

"..." Cardin's smile was in effort of holding by his humor, just as his eyes squinted in amusement, feeling his cheeks start to hurt from being pushed to their limits. "You know, I should be angry at you. I shouldn't be tolerating your shit. But I am, because one: you're going to be valuable to us. And two: I'm tired, too tired to smash you to pieces. I'm going to sleep now."

Port resoundingly concurred with Cardin, "Yes, we should really get some rest for the journey back to the surface. We'll have plenty of time to talk with Rosemary more about the past." The students and doctor accepted it as fact, retreating within their own sleeping bags, leaving Rosemary to be, as she requested of them, "If you're all actually willing to sleep in here, then I ask of you to not open the tomb of Volemont, out of respect for his liege."

They agreed, at least seven did at least, as the others just threw themselves into the comfort of the sleeping bag's own depths, snoozing off beneath the behemoth of a sarcophagus watching over them, with the light soothing their skin. Soothing their skin.

But not for Cardin, his mind forced himself to remain awake in the chamber of the king, staring the floating brain in a jar of the vile liquid that kept her alive somehow, waiting for his brothers, his professor, the old doctor, for them to lose themselves in sleep.

He shuffled within his bag, dreary eyes studying the faces of anyone who's face he could see in the first place. Eyes shut, mouths open, snoring all around. How Dove and Grun could sleep when Sky, Port, and Russel were snoring, he didn't know. Hell, he did not even know if they were asleep, but that did not stop him from taking the chance, crawling out of his own bag towards Rosemary, and softly whispered for her, "Rosemary, hey. Are you awake?"

"I am incapable of sleeping in this form, Cardin," she would reply, plainly as so, also whispering as well, knowing there was purpose for Cardin doing so, "also, what do you want?"

"Can we talk about something?"

"About what?"

"Just... hold on," Cardin, gently, plucked up Rosemary, "we need to be farther away far them." Also picking up his backpack, Cardin, being as deftly as he could be, sneaked away from the sleeping men, until he was across from them in the chamber, sitting down Rosemary and his pack, and started to rummage through out its interior.

"What are you looking for?"

"Rosemary, you know everything there is to know about... the Soooo-Solomon Empire, right?"

"... Well, I do most certainly know more about it than you, or anyone else in this ro-"

"-Yeahyeahyeah, look," having found it, the painting of that monster in the forest, Cardin pulled and presented it before Rosemary, "what is this?"

"A painting done by a child."

Do you see it?

"... Oh- well, who is it of?"

"Of? Cardin, why do you-"

It is I, like I have said.

"-Don't play dumb with me, you know who it **is.** _You_ can absorb memories, and you most fucking certainly absorbed mine. You know everything that has happened to me up until the first time I held you. You know I saw this FREAK in the forest. It tried to kill me! And I want to know what it is."

The earth, the sea, the sky, the cosmos, it is time to unleash it.

"... Cardin, whom you saw that night... that _freak,_ was a Neelanth."

"What? Really?"

"Yes... the one you saw... it was of those among the Neelanth who disguised themselves as loved ones, family, friends, who would attempt to lure Solomans to their deaths in forests, caves, anywhere far from civilization, to the slaughter, where they will be used to fuel the demonic machine."

Do it. Release it, and I will grant you your true destiny.

"The wha... fuck- okay, how the hell is one of them alive? How long was that war between you guys an-"

"-Millennia upon millennia ago, far before even the appearance of these creatures you call Grimm; the Neelanths predate even the rise of the Solomans. But there's no need to talk about them. Listen to me, Cardin, if one of them is still alive, on our planet, at that... academy, _Beacon,_ then you kill it. Hunt it down, and dispose of it, before it can take more innocents for its own enjoyment."

"Whoa whoa whoa, fucking c'mon now. You want me to hunt it down? I just asked for you to tell me what it was, yet now I'm being told to track some magical beastie from space? Helll no."

"Cardin, it will try to kill you again as well."

"Well shit, there we go. The next time I see it, I'll make sure to rip its fucking head off."

"You fool. It can't be kill with the steel of your mace, or any weapon of your. But... that dagger you took-"

Pull it, Dove. Pull it.

"-Wait... Dove? Dove- HEY!"

The lantern exploded, and darkness finally laid claim to the humans.


	17. Chapter 17

_"Cardin..."_

 _"Caaaaaaardin..."_

 **CARDIN**

In violence and blood rushing through the veins, in the heartless body that panged with throbbing muscles and eyes of gold shooting open, Cardin saw Rosemary, in his vision.

"Cardin- we have to go now!"

"W-Wha-"

"-Cardin!" There was banging, loud, with the moaning, groaning, crying of horrors unknown of man, behind the closed door that led further down into the former fort. "Cardin- CAAAGH! Cardin! We have to leave! Get Rosemary and your pack!" Russel was shouting, trying his damnest to overpower the pounding on the stone doors, as Cardin, groggily so, forced himself onto his feet, noticing the open sarcophagus, of a gargantuan, human skeleton, wearing armor of a pristine condition. "CARDIN!"

"Shit-" He looked at his backpack, shoving the painting in it with little care for its own state, zipping it up, and grabbing it alongside Rosemary. "What's going on- OH FUCK! Russel, what happened to you-!"

"JUST FUCKING RUN!" Russel ordered his own leader, before sprinting out of the empty chamber with his lantern, which pissed his brother into running after him, listening as the wailing monsters faded off, as they distanced themselves from them.

"RUSSEL! WHAT ABOUT DOVE AND-"

"-THEY ALREADY RAN AHEAD! I'VE JUST BEEN TRYING TO WAKE YOU'RE DAMN FAT ASS UP! NOW JUST- OHH FUCK!"

The old fort rumbled, as the earth it lied within cried out in pain, shaking the hallway, tumbling the brothers down, as Rosemary rolled off towards the stairway, pushing down the broken pottery, breaking apart the decrepit wood of furniture, and forcing weapons to clatter against the floor.

"Keep on going! Hurry before they reach us!" Rosemary, almost like a broken child on the verge of tears, encouraged the two brothers. Though they did not need to be told twice, when the far-away sound of stone crashing apart against the floor caught up to them.

"Oh fuck- COME ON CARDIN!"

Get up, get up and pick up Rosemary. That was all that Cardin though, doing as such, as Russel picked up his lantern. Go go go, the Thrush would shout, to be followed by his brother. Go go go, listen to those cries, those moans, those crunchy, grinding moans of whatever it is behind us and use it as fuel to run faster than you have ever done so.

Run run run, up the stairs, up the stairs. Cardin followed in absolute horror, sprinting behind Russel, with his lantern acting as a guiding beacon for Cardin to follow, in this roaring fort. That what it sounded at least, as they went up further and further. It sounded as if something, some beast, of a size incomprehensible to man, bellowed above the surface.

Yet it stopped, the silence being followed by another earthquake, temporarily felling the two brothers, giving some time for the screaming of demons to encroach on them, before getting back up and reaching yet another flight of stairs.

To only be blinded by a source of light, seemingly having waited for them on the top.

"HOLD YOUR FIRE! It's them! It's them! Are boys oka-"

"-There no time for talk! They're coming! They're right behind us!"

"Shit- everyone, fall back! Get to the surface now!" The soldier commanded his squad of three men, after having been warned by Russel.

Now they had some companions to run with, Cardin still staying behind, clutching Rosemary close to his chest, as they started to hear gunfire; the closer they got, the louder it became, just cracking ever so quietly, but of course growing, growing, along with whatever on God's green Remnant was chasing after them.

But there it was! The hub, where they could either go down the other floor- but not, let's not do that, ever- or go up to the surface, which was preferable.

"You found them?!"

"Yes! But we need to leave- more of those freaks are coming!"

"All right. Men, move out!" Soldiers filed upward the stairs, wet and slick from rainfall, while also riddled with corpses of soldiers, either clawed, bludgeoned, or melted to death, along with those of humanoids, covered either in fur, looking as if they had been bred with wolves. Others were more, but were just incredible pale, with long limbs, and thick fingers.

When they had reach the surface, there waited only more bloodshed, as bullets zipped by, either by land or the sky, hitting into the bodies of monsters unknown, of giants, lycans, pale cretins, , and bright-green balls of burning energy, streams of fire, and fists of giant proportions slammed into the soldiers and former huntsman alike, all the while Cardin and Russel stood back, absolutely shook from the warzone before them, listening to both man and inhuman cry out in pain, noting the fallen body of a colossus, like a giant boar of the same pale flesh, hairless, riddled with bullet-holes, burn-marks, shrapnel, and slashes.

"S-Should we help-"

"-No," the soldier who led them out of the construct would be quick to shout, ripping his throat in attempt to blast over the firefight, "you two head for that airship over there, and do not engage with the enemy!" He just rushed off after that, filled with no other intent than to just tackled one of the pale humanoids down and smash the but of his rifle into its head, crushing and spewing out violet blood, as it cried and whimpered in suffering.

"Why are you two just standing here?! Run for it, now!"

Rosemary demanded of them, snapping the two back into reality and prompting Russel to pull out one of his own daggers, while Cardin chose to just instead hold tightly onto Rosemary, feeling it'd be better to hold her tight, as he literally went and steamrolled through the warring crowds, preferable knocking aside any of the monsters, while Russel shived them in either where their kidneys would be, or slitting their throats, coating his hand in alien blood, all the while heading for the pad of which their airship remained on, propellers revved up, as they could see Sky, Port, and several soldiers cutting or shooting down any beast that came near.

"Look, there they are! CARDIN! RUSSEL!" Sky called for his brothers, in his altered state of body, yet not being called out in it of itself by the leader, as he kneed one of the lycans in the gut, having used his aura to break enough ribs to force it down for him to curbstomp, giving a crimson, grey-matter and bony coat to the bottom of his armor boot.

"Good! Good! Get in the ship you two! We're leaving now!"

"But what about all these soldier-"

BOOM! Russel stopped, looking back with Cardin to see an absolute, blazing, howling storm of fire, scorching the flesh of these monsters, with the all-too familiar figure of the baroness herself, accompanied by Sure-Shank and Richard Smoke.

"Oh yeah- let's get the fuck outta here!" Cardin, having just thrown his mace into the airship, did the same with the altered Thrush, grabbing and tossing Russel into the airship without his permission, unintentionally sending him into his mace.

"AW FUCK- CARDIN!"

"SORRY!" He ran into the airship, followed by his a heaving Lark and sweating Port, as the soldiers around the flying machine dispersed into a safe distance- though nowhere was really safe in this hellish sinkhole, now seemingly made for the purpose of being filled and mixed of blood from human or monster. The doors closed, tightly sealing off the five men, as the airship took-off without the pilot even bothering to check if they were all strapped in; he too had a life he looked forward to after all.

Cardin, Russel, Rosemary, Sky and Port would just stare out of the windows, appalled and shocked by the radical change that the surface had undergone, from a craggy sinkhole to a pool of inner liquids and guts, scarred by crates, burning eternally, and bodies of allies and enemies laying lifeless, as dozens and dozens and dozens of howling Disownian airships came soaring in to rain hellfire down on the invaders, all the while Cardin just kept his eyes locked on his own mother, tearing apart any of the monsters she caught in sight; her presence alone confirmed to him that this battle will go in favor for Disown, though the implications of it will forever remain until addressed.

"... What happened? What the fuck happened here? What the fuck are those things?!"

"Russel... they're the inhabitants of the fort."

"What?! How the fuck are they alive then?! Resurrection?!"

"Yes."

"Then who the fucked did it?! Who, or...- what- the fuck came down there and brought to life hundreds of MOTHERFUCKING SKELETONS?!"

"... Dove."

"What?" Russel looked over, his brow quizzically bending so. "Dove? What does he-"

"-He opened the sarcophagus! I saw him pull the lever! It opened and... fuck, I just blacked out. But I saw him do it! He opened it and..." His gaze fell onto Rosemary, as he brought her up to his eyes, "unleashed something YOU didn't fucking tell us about, bitch!"

"W-Wait! Cardin-"

"-I should fucking just smash your goddamn jar apart and let you shrivel like a fucking raisin! Or throw you out this damn airshi..." Oh God. His mind, his sight, his hearing... it was overwhelmed, by the doings of Rosemary. By images, sights of that very chamber they slept in, after Cardin had passed out. There he was, Dove, standing as still, petrified, staring at the wall behind the lever, as from beneath his feet, his own shadow, stretched, and hissed, and clawed, and festered upon Volemont's bones, glowing, being sucked into the darkness of this... whatever it was that came from beneath Dove.

"... It wasn't him, Cardin, it wasn't him. But rather some... force, masked, hiding itself, influenced him to do so." His vision, mind, hearing, came back soothingly so, almost like he had reached the same level ecstasy one would have from intercourse, and entered that sleep-inducing state after doing so. "He had no intention of opening the sarcophagus, not once did it cross your brother's own mind. But whatever it was that made him do so did. It wanted Volemont's fading power for itself."

Cardin, he dragged his face, stretched it down, rubbed it, as he fell down into one of the seats, still surrounded by his professor and brothers.

Russel asked her, "Where... is Dove, then?"

"Behind you." Just like she said, when Russel turned around, and Cardin slowly lifted his head, they saw a sleeping Dove, inhumanly looking at peace, despite having just been pulled and slogged through a battlefield. Out of his three brothers, Cardin noticed, through his still dreary sight, that on the surface, Dove suffered from the least serious of physical changes: he had but only a streak of his brown, messy hair, turned into the shade of snow white.

"He slept through it all. The quakes, gunfire, when that great beast fell, he slept through all of it." Port would tell the two, his gaze being that of a worry-nature, when he looked back upon the rest of CRDL,specifically at Cardin, when he said, "As for Grun... we couldn't find him. He had completely disappeared, no trace of him in sight."

Cardin would be lying if he said he did not care for the doctor. He was all right, for what little time Cardin had with interacting with him. But now he could not be bothered with thinking about the old man, for instead he was too preoccupied with just studying his brother, as he watched Russel, having just caught his attention, that he had torn off his eye-patch, revealing a burning orb where once an eye-socket remained empty and closed.

"... Russel?"

"What?"

"... Your eye." Thrush just nodded, bring his left hand up to feel that heat that emanated from his newly-gained eye, as with all of his skin taht had been scarred by fire, now instead looked like literal obsidian: smooth, black as night, and reflective of the airship's own lighting.

"Yeah... I can see out of it now."

Cardin then looked back at Sky. His whole body, all of his skin, just looked to be of a pale-blue coloration, appearing to be as if he was permanently oiled too, while his arms had extended to the point that his hands reached his ankles, and his face, now completely void of any scars from his own past, done those wretched White Fang.

"Sky."

"Yeah?"

"You look hideous?"

"What? Come on Cardin. We just got away with our lives and you call me hideous? I mean look at this." He rubbed his face, with his only three thick-fingered and one thumb hands. "My scars are gone Cardin."

"Yeah, but you got only four fingers on your hands. Also your arms are as long as you own halberd."

"... Yeah. That's true." Sky agreed. He was indeed shaken by his sudden alteration in appearance, but thanks to having just been put through running out of an infested sinkhole filled with monsters from the Soloman empire, he was too exhausted to think about how this was going to affect his life forever. The same applied to Russel, and both of them each at Cardin's sides.

While Port, he just stared down at them, silently so. Cardin was the only one who still looked the same as ever, as the professor's eyes trailed down at Rosemary, who Cardin had still been holding onto.

"... Rosemary, do you know what has happened to them? To Russel and Sky?"

"... I do, Port. They have been... put through the rituals, by whatever it was that influenced Dove and resurrected the soldiers of the fort, to become one step closer to the image of Kasts."

"... Are you fucking saying we're going to turn into those monsters at the ruins?" Sky questioned, now suddenly finding the energy to care for what happened to them.

"N-No! No. Don't worry about becoming them! Their souls wandered the fort for so long that they had lost all form of sanity. When resurrected, they were nothing more but deranged soldiers, who saw your own men as invaders from a foreign land. Neither of you will become like them. Also, you are required to go through multiple rituals in order to achieve perfect resemblance to the Kasts, though it is not anything to be scared of really."

"Whatever, as long as we don't turn mental like those... _soldiers,_ then I..." His hand brushed against the burning orb, "... I'm fine with this, I guess."

"Both of you should be more than fine with this. In fact, both of you should be proud, actually, for your altered bodies come with abilities no human is capable of in your world today."

"... Really?"

"Well, with all that you already achieved, with access to this supposedly called auras and activations of semblances, humanity today has managed to surpass their own capabilities by themselves-"

"-No, I mean... Russel and I, we got new powers?"

"... Yes."

"Aw hell yeah, what can I do?"

"Oh... well, at this stage, Sky, you should be capable of shooting those balls of energy similar to what the Soloman soldiers were capable of, though that is about it for you."

"Oh..."

"Yes..."

"... That pretty neat, how do I do it-"

"-Sky!" The deformed Lark jumped in his seat, visibly disgruntled with the tone Russel had taken up, along side his glaring of daggers into Sky. "Can you shut up? Rosemary can teach you about it once we get back to Beacon."

"... Okay."

"Wait, you're all taking her to Beacon?" Port questioned the two, having just sat himself across from them, arms crossed, his blunderaxe sat aside, while a sleeping Dove rested on his shoulder, drooling a little onto his tattered jacket.

"Yeah. What else are we suppose to do with her? We couldn't exactly just leaver down there, Grun is gone, so he can't take her back, and there were no soldiers who weren't to busy fighting off resurrected warriors to take her off our hands. So... yeah, we're taking we're taking her back with us."

"Ah, I see, Russel. I understand, but don't you think she'd be of more value to your mother and Disown? She could help with disposing of all those... soldiers, and could also shed some light on more about the Solomon empire for them."

"Yeah... that's true, but really, you saw how they were doing back there. I'm sure everything will be fine. Ziz will probably either wait for anymore that's left to come out and kill them, or just... blow up the entrance and cave it in, trapping whatever else is down there."

"That would not stop them forever. Though it will give them time to build up fortifications around the entrance. " Rosemary interjected.

"Yeah, yeah. And also, honestly, when we're done with our first year at Beacon. We'll just go back to Disown, and give her to Ziz or... whoever, and let her tell them everything they need to know."

"... You do know that I have rights, don't you?"

"What rights?" Sky joked, "you're just a brain in a jar, you don't have any rights."

Rosemary stammered, "Y-Yes, I, do. Why aren't you all asking me how I feel about all this? You all entered into a fort none of you had business with, invaded my room, took me from my shrine, opened Volmont's tomb for his essence to be devoured, and took me back up to the surface, where we are now, in this _airship._ And now you are all assuming I am fine with being taken to Beacon, or to be used as just a source of information?"

"... Well, what do you think is best for you?" Rosemary stayed quiet, in Cardin lap, letting the behemoth go without answer for thirty seconds or so, as the airship whirred over the land below. "You didn't really get to do much down there, all lone, in the dark, surrounded by skeletons and ghosts, with no one to talk to, nothing new to see. And now, you don't have much of a choice either. Well... you do, I guess. First, we are going to keep you at Beacon for the time being, and when we are done there, we're going to take you back at Disown, where you may ask of us to do whatever it is you want to be done with you. Unless... my mom chooses to smash you apart if you reject to share any information with her about the Solomon empire, or about what else they've built underground, or anywhere else on Remnant."

"... Rosemary, you there?"

"Y-Yes, I am h-here with you."

"Well, what do you have to say about what I said, then?"

"... I will... I will be fine with being brought to Beacon, for the time being, until you take me back to the island you all now call Disown."

"And then? What are you going to want then?"

"... J-Just a place for myself to remain at in peace."

"Mmmm, yeah, that sounds fair. But... since you share my memories now with me, then you know who my mothers is, and that she always wants something in return."

"Yes, in return for my accommodations being provided to me, I will share with you mother, or any of you, or anyone of Disown, what they wish to know about the ancient past."

Cardin nodded his head, pleased with this outcome, "cool, cool. I think you'll like it at Beacon anyways. It's pretty nice there, all green with trees and... grass... and..."

"... Cardin."

"Yeah?"

"Why is your chest-piece pierced through?" The Winchester looked down, and sure enough, as Sky pointed out, his chest-piece of his gpray armor had been punctured, right on the golden bird, with his shirt having been torn through too.

"W-What?" He pressed his hand onto his exposed skin, feeling it to be crass, scarred. "Rosemary? What happened to me?"

"You saw everything, Rosemary, so you better tell me or I swear to my God that I will-"

"-It tore your heart out."

"WHAT?"

"The creature, it tore through your armor, and ripped out your heart, and repaired you before it finally left."

"Before you ask: how this affects you should not worry you. As of now, you can be considered to be in a state of being that of which is neither dead or alive. A-"

"-SHUT. UP."

"..." Cardin felt, as nothing pulsed within his body, keeping his hand pressed against his chest. He breathed in, and breathed out. Breathe in, breathe out, as his mind rushed, sped, flying through whatever thought popped in his head, gently closing his eyes, trying to just come to some kind of terms with this news.

Sky, at this inappropriate moment, would start up"... You're taking this pretty well, Cardin. You got no heart, yet you're as calm as I've ever seen you."

" _Ohhhhhh, Skyyyyyy..._ I am...- a lot of things, right now, calm being one of the few. But I'm just... just thinking, about... what would be the proper response to this."

"... Well, you seem right now. All breathing, talking, you're still able to walk, run, even plow through bodies and crush skulls. I'd say you're pretty fine right now, no biggie."

"Sky, you still have your heart. I, DON'T."

"And you're still alive." Russel cut in, having rested his eyes, leaning his head back onto his arms, but still listening to the three. "If anything, this just means you're immune to heart attacks and cardiac arrests."

"Oh, is that true, Russel? Am I really immune to that kind of shit, now?"

"... Yeah, I have a good feeling you are. But other than that, calm down. There's probably more benefits to you losing your heart..."

"... Is there?"

"Well... no, not really. You are right about being immune to the diseases of the heart, but that is about it for the recipient of the ritual. But for his heart, it hold much more power than humanity is aware of today. Whoever it was that took it, most certainly has some sort of plan for it."

"... Damn, sorry Cardin. It looks like you won't see it ever again." Cardin himself had no reply for Russel, nothing to say to Sky either, or a remark for Rosemary. No, Cardin just had it. If he was heartless, fine, just fine. Cardin did not care the slightest. If he was still alive, then it was all good. All good and dandy as it can be.

"Oh dear."

"What? Some thin' wrong, Port?"

"Miss Goodwitch sent me this about just ELEVEN minutes ago." Port played his scroll for Sky, and everyone else to listen to.

 _"Peter? Peter, wherever you are, I need you to cancel the mission and bring CRDL back to Vale as soon as you get this message! The city has been overrun with Grimm! We need all available bodies we can get! Please hurry!"_

It ended there, letting dread set in, not because CRDL was scared of fighting Grimm- they were not even going to fight them. But the realized what this truly meant, of Cardin being presented with an absolute life-shattering path for him.

"... Fuck." Expose himself to the world, of what his family line has been secretly capable of for all these centuries.

"Cardin? What... what are we going to do?" Russel softly inquired, moving himself close to his leader's own ear, aware of how serious the tone had shifted, for their whole life together, and the future, as of now. "Cardin?"

"I... I don't know... what else to do, other than you-know-what."

"We just better hope we're dropped off somewhere isolated, away from everyone, and that Port can keep a secret..."

* * *

"Motherfucker! How can this happen?! HOW?!"

"Where did these freaks fucking come from?! What the hell are they?! And where the hell are my kids?!"

"Ziz, ma'am-"

"-WHAT?! What do you want, grunt?!"

"... I... do not worry about your children, Ziz, ma'am. They had retreated to an airship amidst the battle, and are already on their way back to Beacon."

"Oh... oh... good. Thank goodness. And what about Grun? Where is that old fart?"

"We can't find him so far, ma'am. Either he was killed by the enemy, or is lost down in the ruins."

"Well... shit. He's probably dead down then if that's the case... oh well."

"Ziz, madam, what are we suppose to do now? We've lost about a third of the soldiers here, along with dozens more injured, more than half of our equipment is destroyed, and several airships by the hands of that great beast. W-"

"-Don't worry about it, Richard, I got an idea: we blow up the entrance, and seal whatever else is down there."

"... Oh. Okay. After all the time we've spending going deeper and deeper down there, you're going to cave-in the entrance now, when there is still more left down there to explore?"

"What the fuck, Richard? Are you kidding me? Sure a few days ago, you and Shank were telling me not to send my kids down there! Now here we are, monsters fucking crawling outta there, and I am prepared to seal them off from the rest of Disown, yet you're telling me-"

"-Ziz, you're confused. I just didn't want you to send your precious boys down there. But I'm fine with anyone else exploring. But now they'll most certainly need to bring with them weapons"

"... So don't fucking seal it off, huh? Just keep it open and let more of them come out, just to kill them?"

"... Yes!"

"... Okay, okay. I guess I can bring in a shitload of Grimm to help deal with these freaks. But until then, I want both of YOU to stay here and help with killing anymore of those monsters that come out, understand?"

"Ugggggh- Yes, Ziz, will do."

"Of course, Shank and I will remain here until the Grimm arrive."

"... Ziz?"

"... This is a fucking disaster. I should have listened to Dion."

* * *

"We are approaching Vale city, be advised that it is crawling with Grimm from all sides. You all better hurry and equip your weapons, boys." Port had left the cockpit, stating as such when grabbing his blunderaxe, eying up the still sleeping Dove, oblivious to all that was about unfold.

"What are we gonna do with Dove and Rosemary? Just leave them up here?"

"That is the best choice for us to go with, Mister Cardin. Unless that is... Dove awakens within the next five minutes or so."

Sky, having spent the last few hours or so, just staring off at the passing world below, shouted, rising up in his seat, "There they are! Cardin, look."

And Cardin saw, to behold, the city Vale, of nothing more than similar to chaos and destruction they had all left at Disown.

"Damn," the city was overrun with the bodies, of black fur, black skin, red eyed beasts of Grimm. Beowolves, creeps, ursas, taijitu, all scampering, creeping, slithering, clawing back at the law enforcement, Atlesian military, anyone who was fighting back against this bellowing black wave. "I... I'm gonna have to-"

"Where are we supposed to be dropped off, Port?!"

"Somewhere near the others! I think we're closing in on them actually! Get ready now!"

"Ah fuck, fuck, fuck."

"Cardin, listen to me. I know we have found ourselves out of the frying pan, and yet into dire battlefield. But don't fret now! The Grimm are facing against General Ironwood and his-"

Rosemary cut off the professor, sounding so sure of herself when she said, "Cardin's not scared of the Grimm, professor. He only fears of what he will have to do in front of you and your allies; he fears of exposing his own secret to all who fight down there."

Befuddled, Port stared at the brain in a jar, wondering of what on Remnant she was talking about. What _secret?_ What does she mean, when he looked back at Cardin? What does did she mean, when Cardin didn't move guess an inch, as his eyes of gold stared back?

 _"We're here! We're here! I'm opening the doors now!"_

Damn— C'mon guys! Let's go!" Sky exclaimed, near the moaning of the mechanical doors, sliding open, letting in the volume of battle fill the interior, as the Bronzewing started to stir!

"It's time for us to go, Cardin! Move out!" Port had now just forgotten Rosemary's words like that, as he sprinted out and jumped, followed by the mutated Sky and Russel, not looking back, as the Winchester, still clutching onto Rosemary, came to the edge.

There they were. RWBY, JNPR, CFVY, even Penny, Sun, Neptue, and Zwei all battered to the brink, joined by Port, Ozpin, Glynda, Ironwood his soldiers, draining into demoralization, locked in the seemingly eternal struggle between man and Grimm. With his two brothers, looking back up at him.

"Cardin!"

"HURRY UP AND GET DOWN HERE!"

"Cardin, you have go help them. You can stop all of this now."

"Are you scared, brother!? Allow me to help with that!

"D-Dove?!" Cardin did not have the chance to look back, to safely lay Rosemary down, when Dove kicked Cardin out through the door, into a fall for the streets below. "Oh fuck- HOLD ON!"

It was pure instinct, as Cardin, in his heartless body, activated his aura. Followed by him spinning himself in the air, holding the screeching Rosemary close to his chest, tightly so, staring back up, to see a manic Dove, free falling down towards his own brother.

Cardin THWAMPED into the street, sending agonizing shockwaves all throughput his body. As he winced, and moaned, and coughed, with a fully intact Rosemary resting on his heaving chest, Dove landed by his brother's side, tittering, not like him so.

"AAAAGGGH! DOVE! ARE YOU- COOOOGGH- FUCKING INSANE?! YOU COULD HAVE KILLED ROSEMARY AND ME!

"Ahahahahaha— forgive me, brother! But I could NOT stand by whilst you remained in the great airship!"

"Wha... why are you talking like that?!-"

"-Cardin!" Russel called out for him, as he and Sky sprinted back to the fallen brute, helping him and Rosemary up, as he gagged at the pain, face beat red and sweating, his hair a total mess.

"W-Wait! What are they doing?!" Cardin listened, hearing Yang exclaim so, in confusion rightfully deserved.

"They're not... why aren't they fighting back?!" His eyes opened, and as sure as Jaune questioned, the Grimm had stop entirely, their attention drawn now only towards the CRDL brotherhood.

"Come now, Cardin, this is in your hands for the moment. Hurry." Dove, in his peculiar accent, was right, taking Rosemary away from him, letting Cardin go free, lumbering towards the allies, most of whom had yet to notice CRDL, having been too caught up in the heat of war.

"Don't... ohhhhh God— Don't worry, I'm here to help. Don't attack them, please.

"Cardin? What's going on? Why are they-"

"Are they— kneeling, now?!" Weiss asked out loud, hey icy eyes shooting from Grimm to Grimm, alll having assumed positions, in some way creating an image of soldier kneeling before Cardin, whom still went on, coming closer and closer to the monstrous mob.

As one would expect, the students, hunters, they spurred in fret for Cardin, as Coco would even call out to the Disownian, "Cardin stop! Why are you..."

A little boarbatusk- no longer than a foot and a half, trotted forward to the Winchester, oinking in delight, just from the sight of him.

"Stop! Sit your ass back down!" With the order though, the little boarbatusk would whimper, and assume itself into a kneeling position, as the Winchester stopped before it, his gaze washing over the crowd of submissive Grimm, remaining in their rightful place. While Cardin himself was washed over too, by the soldiers, the general, the professors, the students, baffled, shocked, at the sight of the Grimm, awaiting as if Cardin was a king, about to command them into battle.

On the surface, Cardin looked calm and ready, in reality, his heart- were he still had it- would be beating at rates unhealthy for man, when he looked back at everyone, taking in their expressions of bewilderment, then back at his kneeling Grimm, taking a deep breath, closing his eyes, his aura flowing into his sockets, sternly saying.

"... You all know what to do: leave the city once I'm done, and don't attack any humans ever again."

Cardin opened his golden orbs, and out came the flash, of such might, such intensity, that immediately throbbed the eyes of everyone watching, who fell back to shield themselves from the glorious maelstrom that forced itself upon the Grimm, roaring, bustling, all over the city of Vale, each building, each car, lamp, street, human, Grimm, coated in boiling gold.

For just three seconds it all blasted, all swarmed, before suddenly recessing back into Cardin's own skull, through the sockets, further and further squeezing his head to the point it felt as if it were going to explode, just swelling and swelling, swelling, swelling.

But no, when the blinding radiance stopped pounding onto their eyelids, the surrounding men and women opened their eyes, baring witness to a gorgeous snowfall of golden flakes and specks, glittering off of the orange sky above, covering and sticking onto everyone's own armor and clothing, while being lost onto the fur, scales, and skin of the Grimm, now rising before a now-collapsed, broken Cardin, their eyes golden, just like his.

In a snap, they all started to swarm to him, murmuring like concerned babes for a dying mother, with voices ranging from small children to old men and women.

"Master!" They would call out.

"Master! Are you okay?!"

"Please open your eyes!"

"Why has he fallen?!"

Needless to mention, everyone, except for his own brothers, were a lost for words. They just stood by, their weapons hanging from exhausted arms, their gaze, that of disbelief, when for the first time in all of their own varied lives, hear Grimm speak the word of humans and faunus, let alone being concerned, begging for Cardin to wake up.

"All right, all right! Don't worry all of you!" Sky was the first to start reassuring the now blessed Grimm, his inhumanly-long arms raised, his deformed self followed by the Thrush and maddened Dove, as they pushed away the fretting Grimm.

"But his heart does not beat! We have lost him!"

"Oh no- this cannot be!"

Sky kept on going, "Nononono! It's nothing to worry about! Your master is very much alive! See? Listen to him. He still breathes." They listened so, and fortunately, heard the soft breathing coming from their dear master's lips. "See? You're master is fine. He fine. Just... run along now. Get out of this city."

"Go on— GIT!" In the strongest of reluctance to be demonstrated, the Grimm dispersed, swarming into the streets of Beacon, passing by the students, professors, soldiers, general, whom moved out of their way to let the Grimm pass, all but for that little boarbatusk, having rested itself up against Cardin, going unnoticed by his brothers or Rosemary, as they just watched the Grimm leave the city of Vale, while Sky just postured according to saying as such, "Can you believe

Until the rest of their peers turned their heads back at them, still just as shocked as ever, as General Ironwood himself asked CRDL, "What is happening? What did he do?"

And Russel, as plainly, yet somewhat rudely, responded with, "A fucking _thanks for saving the city_ would be nice to hear, cunt."

"Excuse me? Do you have _any_ idea who you are speaking to, young man?"

"... Nope." Without another word, he and Sky went to pick up their sleeping behemoth brother, and passed by everyone, whom did not even bother to stop the them, or the little boarbatusk that trailed them from behind...

* * *

 _"I thank you Dove for your services. For your actions, this cursed world will once more be put onto its previous righteous path into the oblivion of glory, and take the throne that the Kasts once intended us to usurp."_

"..."

 _"But heed my words: I will return for all of you, for my war requires all of Remnant, if we are to finally take the universe for ourselves. Until then, my blessings will be upon you and your brothers."_


	18. Chapter 18

"Hey, Headmaster!"

"Ah, Dove, Russel, Sky, please sit down."

"Don't mind if we _dooooo."_ Sky dragged on, as he sat him in the middle chair, in his lap the same little boarbatusk that followed them from yesterday, with each of his own brother's by his own sides, with Dove sitting Rosemary down in his lap. "What is it you want to talk to us, about, Headmaster?"

"Please, Sky, you can just call me Ozpin."

"All right, Headmaster."

"... Well, boys, first I just want to thank all of you for... saving Vale from the attack yesterday-"

"-Uhm, it was _actually_ Cardin that save the city. All we did was call him down from the airship and watch as Dove kicked him OUT of it, DOVE." Russel leaned forward, as he glared over at his brother, who stared back with open blue eyes of madness, and shiny white teeth grinning. Russel shook his head. "But yeah, you should be thanking Cardin instead of us."

"Ah, and where is Cardin, if I may ask?"

"Cardin, Headmaster Ozpin, is slumbering within our own room, due to having overexerting himself from yesterday's seemingly impossible task!"

"... Thank you, Dove... how about you? How are you doing? How are all of _you_ doing?"

"Pretty good," Sky answered as matter-of-fact, wryly, but gently, smiling, "why uh... why you ask?"

"Sky, you know why I am asking. I've just been given the report of your first mission by Port."

"Yes, and?"

"Sky, If I am to take this report seriously, which I do, you... all of you, even Cardin, had gone under what Port called 'experiments'-"

Rosemary interrupted, to correct him with, "Rituals," which he did acknowledge in a slight gesture of his hand, mentally noting to get to her later.

" _Rituals,_ that has left Cardin without a heart, while you, Sky, in your current state, Russel having regained his other eye, yet left him with half of his skin is replaced by an obsidian-like substance. And Dove has-"

"-BEEN granted knowledge, far beyond for any human mind to properly comprehend with out a little _reshaping_!"

"... Of course, of course, I should have known-"

"-You sound little sassier than usual, Ozpin," Thrush would point out, "are you doing well yourself, today?"

"Yes, Russel, I am. Thank you for asking." And they believed him, for how would they know about the uncertainty of him maintaining his current role as Beacon's Headmaster. "All I want to know now, is just how are you thre... _four,_ are doing."

"Is that it? You don't have any questions about how Cardin saved Vale? Don't got any questions about that?" The little boarbatusk in his lap snorted, after Sky let out that series of questions. The sight of that boarbatusk just distracted Ozpin for a few seconds, before he would answer.

"Sky, what Cardin did yesterday, I can't really get into at this moment. All I care about is that he helped save the city, and that's it." Ozpin would be lying if he were to say that Cardin did not pique his interest, however. "But to be frank, Sky. I am concerned about your two... guests, you have with you right now."

"What? Rosemary? She'll be fine, Ozpin, she doesn't require much maintenance. We're honestly just probably keep her in our room half the time."

"And the other half of the time, Russel?"

"I told them that I would much prefer for them to be able to take me out of the room as often as possible, for me to see what the rest of the world has become."

"... I see, and your name is... Rosemary, am I correct?"

"Yes. I am Rosemary, of the fallen Soloman Empire."

"Wonderful. Well, if you are going to be fine with spending your time at..." Ozpin stopped for a moment, the fact tat he was talking to a brain in a jar having suddenly drilled into his skull, before he continued on. "Then I believe we should move with... the other guest."

"The... boarbatusk in you lap, Sky."

"My name is Gilgamesh, She Who Devours All That Breathe."

For the first time in this ridiculous meeting, Ozpin pinched his brow, just finding this all to be rather a waste of his time, just dealing with a problem that refused to properly communicate back, as Russel told him, "you can just call her Gilgamesh, she's fine with that."

"Okay, okay. Listen, I don't mind that you're all keeping a boarbatusk as a pet, or whatever. But what I do care, is the safety of my students, and my staff, and if... Gilgamesh ends up attacking any of them, then I am expecting all of you to release her into the forest, understand?"

"What if she attacks a student who attacked us first? Or broke into our room?"

"If that is the case, Russel, then it's perfectly fine. But I won't tolerate her attacking anyone out of the blue, understand?"

"Mmhm."

"Yep."

"We DO understand, Headmaster Ozpin."

"Good, and also know that we won't be providing food to any of you for feeding... Gilgamesh."

"Of course." Russel responded, fully knowing well that they could just her food from the dining hall anyways. Also, the blessed Grimm, just like the unblessed, don't desire to eat. Though they can consume just for the taste of it though, but Russel just guessed Ozpin was unaware of how blessed Grimm operate.

"Good, you're all excused to leave now, if you wish."

"Wait! Ozpin. It would mean a lot to us if you, or any of the professors... don't share with anyone about what Cardin did yesterday."

"What makes you say that, Russel?"

"... Some secrets are secrets for a reason, Ozpin. If people find out about Cardin's, they're going to try to kill him. Not only that, but Ziz is gonna be pissed if she finds out. Those are two things you don't want to happen now, right?"

"... I see what you are saying, Russel. I understand. I will... keep all of this just between us, and tell the professors, AND Ironwood- if I can get the chance- to do the same."

All three of them smiled, "Thanks," and just got up in a split-second, as they went into the main elevator, the doors closing off their sight of the headmaster's office, as they descended down the tower, leaving Ozpin with yet still too much on his plate for him to deal with today.

"So... we gonna get breakfast or what?"

"Yes, Sky, we can get breakfast now."

"We gonna eat in the room?"

"Yes, we're gonna eat in our room."

"We gonna drop Rosemary and Gilgamesh off in there?"

"... Yes, yes- Sky, shut up. Just shut up."

"Okay."

The elevator doors slid open, and out they went, into an absolutely riled up lobby of the CCT, personnel and soldiers running about, with reporters from a few news stations or sites scattered about, all just proving to be little obstacles for them awkwardly shuffle pass, as they would stop to just stare at their freakish features, and question to themselves that were they legitimately carrying a baby boarbatusk and brain in a jar.

The day was rather okay, being a bit chilly, clouds floating throughout the blue sky like molasses, with the streets, just like the lobby, to be bustling with students, who just like everyone inside, gawked, some horrified, others mystified, by those freaks. That what they looked like to them now, freaks who visually looked more twisted than the faunus that they once harassed.

It only added to more and more students trying to move out of their way, as they went on into the dining hall.

"All right, I'm gonna have to lay you down, Gilgamesh. Stay close to us, okay?"

"Yes sir." She squeaked, her little, corkscrew tail wagging, as she stayed close to the Lark boy's feet, he and Russel grabbing trays, stacking foodstuff, as Dove just followed them, Sky using his to get breakfast sandwiches, while Russel smothered his with bacon.

"So, this is what modern man eats?"

"Yaaaasss, Rosemary. We quench our thirst with carbonated beverages of sorts, while mainly eating all sorts of cooked meat of beasts!"

"Dove, that's what we eat," Russel pointed it out, "not everyone drinks as much soda as we do, or eats as much meat. Though we really should stop drinking so much soda; it's not doing us any good."

"Fuck off."

"..." Russel guessed that was an appropriate response from Sky. Or at least it the most appropriate one he could have gotten at that moment. "Why do you gotta be like that, Sky?"

"I fucking love my Professor Pepper, Russ, that's why."

"It doesn't give you anything beneficial though."

"It gives me a refreshing sweet taste of 46 FLAVORS, cunt."

"46 flavors? H-How is that even possible, Sky?" Rosemary inquired. "How can someone fit 46 different flavors into one beverage, Sky?"

"It... you know... it just... I don't know- get off my back, bitch, I don't have to take any shit from some lady who can't even have sex anymore."

Dove brought his head down, lining up his mouth with Rosemary, whispering: "Do not hold anything against mah dear brother; he becomes rather disgruntled when you threaten to take away his favorite FOODSTUFF." It was unfortunately loud enough for Lark to hear.

"Ah, it is fine. It does not bother me, for I have access to a dream realm where I can sleep with men a thousand times better in EVERY way than Sky."

"... Yeah? That's true, huh? It doesn't really matter, because those men aren't real, are they?

"... That is true."

"Yeah, that's what I thought, bitch.-"

"-Hey guys!" The three brothers whimpered, Sky almost shedding a tear, when they heard Jaune call for them. When they turned around, to face what they only hoped was Jaune, they were instead met with the sight of him, his whole team, Yang, Blake, Weiss, Coco, Velvet, Sun, Neptune, and Penny, just casually approaching them, like they were friends or something like that with the brothers. "How's it uh... how's it going?" They could already tell that all of them, let alone Jaune, were slightly put-off by the sight of the ascended Sky and Russel- but not so much Dove- along with the little Boarbatusk and Rosemary.

But hey, they did not mind the slightest if they showed their mild discomfort. Such feelings were made known when Sky, just as plainly as he can be, replied, "Bretty good, bretty good," almost making himself snicker even with his purposeful replacement of the letter 'p,' a small change that went unnoticed. "What'chu 'all _want?"_ At this point, he was just now imitating a strong southern accent, that was noted, but did not bother them.

"We just wanted to thank you fellas for saving our rumps down there, yesterday." Sun would answer the Lark, just noticing at that moment that all his scars were actually gone, though not acknowledging it at the moment.

At the same time, Gilgamesh would approach Penny, sniffing at her feat, not even disturbing the artificial student, whom in fact found the little boarbatusk to be rather cute, even daring- and successfully- plucking her up, and started to rub her belly, much to Gilgamesh's delight.

It all just went on without a battering of the eyes, as Russel told Sun "Oh, okay, if that's what you all want, then... you should be thanking Cardin instead of us. He's the one who save Vale."

Pyrrha asked, in a gentle tone, "Oh? Where is he then?"

And Dove responded, his peculiar accent ringing through their ears, "Ahhhhhhh- Cardin is slumbering in our ROOM this wonderful morning! If you wish to give him your thanks, then you can follow us to our room." That honestly, to everyone, sounded unpleasant. It was not because of fear however, but just due to Dove himself informing them. Had it been either Sky or Russel, then it would be fine, because they do not talk like that of a mentally deranged man.

Though at this point, they were sure Dove was indeed deranged.

"Thank you... Dove, that'd be... nice. We'll go see him now, sure..."

"... Ohhhhhhh." Dove actually did not mean that. Albeit being mentally unstable as of now, that doesn't mean he wants some alone time with his own brothers. He cursed himself for trying acting in kindness towards them. "If i-it is what you wish, then please, follow us... heh." Not one person, Dove was sure of it, was going to enjoy this visit.

* * *

The first thing to assault his sense was the smell of fresh air, blowing into their room from what he assumed to be an open window. And sure enough, when his golden, yet crusted-shut, eyes fluttered open, requiring force. Their window was indeed open, with the drab curtains gently, slowly swaying, forward to back, as the sunlight crashed onto the wood-imitating flooring.

Everything was aching- tis just a part of one of the daily burdens he would always find himself in- as Cardin sat up in his own bed, his blankets sliding down to his waits, exposing his bare chest, his scar that stretched all the way to his back exposed for no one to see. No one at all to see him, when Cardin got back up on his feet, seeing only himself to be in white boxers with pink hearts scattered about. His brothers must have stripped him, to get him out of his dirty armor and clothes

He stood, leaning forward a bit, his hands resting on a nightstand, as Cardin looked out the window, into the beautiful day waiting for him outside. Or not, Cardin felt more comfortable with sleeping after having exerted himself yesterday. But should he not look for his own brothers? And where was Rosemary? Ah, Cardin knew he could always just call them on his scroll.

But where was his scroll? Gah, Cardin would sod it off, just go back to bed, he would say to himself. But what was that? The toilet in their own bathroom was flushing, having just been used; perhaps one of his brothers were still here.

Though when that door to the bathroom opened, Cardin just stood there corrected, when Ruby came out of their bathroom, to catch sight of Cardin, standing before her, in only his boxers, letting her take in his almost naked, hairy figure, just making her cheeks brighten in red, as she maintained a solid poker face, or tried her best at least.

"O-OH- CARDIN! Hey! I didn't know you were uh..." One of her small hands, curled up, would just be raised to hide her mouth, her eyes darting around the room, occasionally staying on his chest, his shoulders, arms, before she just focused on his face. His mockingly-grinning face, baring those chompers of his, sharp, that could easily break her skin if he wanted to do so.

"What are you doing in our room, Ruby?" He did not mind her presence, as would be expected from the crude behemoth, with his gutter of a mind thinking of perverse imagery, but not for long, with him still having the dignity of not wanting to stand before Ruby with an erection.

"I-I was given access to your room from your brothers."

"Why?"

"Because they were the only ones who trusted me to not abuse it-"

"-No, why did you want access to OUR room? Why do you want to come in here?"

"I just felt scared for you, and I wanted to be able to check in on you. So I asked your brothers if I could see you, and now they're allowing me to... be here."

"Ah, I see. You just want check up on little ol' me, huh?" Ruby nodded her head in confirmation, her gazing of his face almost faltering when he crossed his arms. "Cool, cool..."

"..."

"Do you want me to put a shirt and pants on?"

"Mm-hm."

Coyly, one of his brows raised when he asked, "Are you sure? I don't want to deprive you of a pleasant sight, Ruby."

She fumed, her face scowling in blushing ire when she responded, "Yes! I'm sure, Cardin."

"What if I don't want to? This is my room after all. If I want to go nude in here, I can."

"I bet you won't do it."

That sure did shock Cardin. "I'm sorry. Are you insinuating that you want to see me naked?"

"N-NO! Just put some clothes on already!" He raised his hands in self-defense from the reddened Ruby, when she picked up and threatened to throw Sky's pillow at him- as if it would cause any real harm.

"Okay, okay, fine." Cardin just took a few steps in his room, gathering only his black leather poncho and pants, not bothering for the shirt since it was damaged, along with his armor. But it enough to suffice Ruby for the moment. "Is this good, enough?"

"Yes."

"Good," Cardin sat himself back on his bed, ungloved claw-like hands rubbing his knees, while his eyes, hesitantly, met with her silver orbs, as Ruby pouted towards, arms crossed, "so... okay. You can leave now."

"... Are you kidding me? You just put your clothes on, Cardin!"

"Yes, I did. But now I realized that there's not much for us to talk about now, s-"

"-You know, I haven't thanked you yet for saving us yesterday, that's something to talk about."

"Oh... okay. So are you gonna thank me then?"

"Yeah."

"Cool, cool..."

He gestured for her to do so, and she obliged. "Thank you Cardin." It was very unsatisfying to hear that.

"... Your welcome." It was not because of how awkward it was to get to this point of Ruby thanking him.

And Ruby was able detect it. "Is something wrong?"

"... I don't know if I did the right thing or not."

"What? What you... Cardin, you save Vale! You stopped an entire horde of Grimm! I mean we were fighting them before you guys showed up, but still... you stopped so much destruction, deaths, yo-"

"-Ruby... no- You don't understand what I did, yesterday." His meaty hands, those dull claws, scraped through his hair, groggy eyes, puffy, staring up at her. "What happened yesterday was one the most dangerous thing I've ever done in my life."

"What? You aren't making any sense Ca-"

"-Ruby, what do you think it was that I did yesterday? Think about how the Grimm changed after I got there, how they changed after I was done there."

"... Uh... they seemed like they were... treating you like a leader?"

"Yeah, yeah. And then...?"

"Then... when that flash you made went away, they were able to... talk, they could speak our language- and they were scared for you. It was almost like you gave them... self-awareness?"

"It's something like that, yeah."

"So... what's so bad about that?"

"Ruby... my family has been hunted down for this. For as long as we've existed, we've been hunted down, strung us, and slaughtered by armies. No matter how many times we hid, we changed our names, we were always found out. For today, if people started to find out that there are humans, who can give Grimm intelligence, and are able to control them, they'd be scared shitless. Word will spread, and people will find out that there's a student at Beacon who can grant Grimm new life, and see him as being the type who would use Grimm to take over towns, cities, or even kingdoms. They won't try to understand it, they'll just wan me to be dead."

It was a lot for Ruby to process. Her lips, frowning, all she could do was remain quiet, letting her eyes fall to the floor, as Cardin decided to keep on going, his claws gripping the bed sheets, shaking, his face just frozen in the look of a plain mouth, with scowling, thousand-yard gaze.

"I don't know if people care about us anymore though, and I really hope that's the case: that the world just forgot about us, or has stopped caring. But no, I know better. It's just gonna be a matter of time now until one of... Ironwood's soldiers, or a professor, or some **fucking** student goes and blabbers their mouth AND..."

Ruby sat herself by his side, her small hands, wrapping around him, resting her shin of his right shoulder, just soothing a giant, with his state of fury melting away when feeling her warm body pressed up against him, and hearing her voice, gentle, like how his own mother would sound in the rarest of occasions.

"Cardin, it's okay. It's okay, I understand how you must be feeling right now. Angry, for just exposing such a secret about yourself. And scared, for yourself, your brothers, anyone who's close to you. It all looks terrible now, not knowing how you're life is going to be now. But you shouldn't be. The Cardin I've come to know isn't scare of no one, who beats-down anyone who threatens him or his family! Who's own mom has an entire army of soldiers and ex-hunters under her command, and has..." she felt weird saying this, but Ruby had a hunch that it was true, "... Grimm, who see you as a king, and are going to protect you, no matter the cost."

Cardin turned his head, and for once, when staring at those big, round, silver eyes, he felt no natural disgust, no natural hatred, no natural urge to gouge them out. He just felt peace, warm, overwhelmingly so, especially when for a moment, Ruby pressed her lips up against his cheek, an act that was met with shock, then acceptance, as he now smile back at her, feeling one of her hands meet his, entwining her small fingers with his meaty claws,

"And you have people here who'll help you too."

Cardin, staying silent, just looking at her, softly breathing, gently tightening their grip, would reply, "... Thank you, Ruby." Her smile was enough to make him grin, which itself made Ruby grin right back at him. But they remained only like such, until Cardin's faded away, having started to lean forward, forcing instincts to rise in Ruby when she back away, just a few inches, just only to find herself kissed right back on her rosy cheeks as well, giving Cardin in return a small giggle.

"..." But Cardin... he wanted more. It was obvious when he kissed her cheeks a second time, his breath blasting onto her cheeks. Ruby's grin faded, when he arm wrapped around her small frame, hand grasping onto her shoulder now, with Cardin, nibbling her jawline.

"C-Cardin. Wait, this- Ahhhh~" He was starting on her neck, teeth, chomping down onto her skin, just as soft as he could be, his breathing, steaming, its heat pounding onto her neck, forcing a jolt to rush up and down throughout her petite figure, eyelids half-closing, with Cardin now assaulting her neck, kiss after kiss, playful nibbling ensuing.

"Caaaaaardin!~" Ruby quietly called out, her cheeks starting to burn, as she craned her neck, letting Cardin having fun with all he wanted. But he wanted move on there, she knew when his hand grabbed the back of her head, dull nails burying into her reddish hair, forcing her to bring her face to his.

She was weak when he locked their lips together, feeling now her whole body to start heating, her silvers eyes watering, when his tongue forced itself upon her, wrestling it down, twisting around it, their saliva mixing; Ruby wrapped her arms over Cardin's shoulders again, pulling him closer too, for his own tongue to bury its way into the back of her throat, forcing tears to stream down her cheeks in retaliation, as her eyes started to roll over, her thighs forcibly closing, ash she could her his other hands snake down in-between them, easily overpowering her own leg strength, to be met back with a loving whimper, just thundering out of her when feeling his claws go under her skirt, and press through her panties.

CLICK-

"Mmph!" Then Cardin and Ruby pulled apart, just stopping entirely, Rose still a bit more daze form that experience than Cardin was, as one could tell by her beet-red face and the drool that poured in a small string from her mouth, as Sky opened the door, seeing the two of them sitting on Cardin's bed, automatically smiling in delight from seeing her brother was awake.

"Oh shit- I hope I didn't interrupt anything going on between you two, heheh."

"..."

"..."

"..." Sky was able to pick up from their still-bodies, Ruby's exhausted, blushing expression, and Cardin's visibly agitated features that his joke was no such thing. "O-Oh. Wait, y-you both were?-"

"-Sky, go in already!" Eyebrows raised in concern, Sky hesitantly followed through with Russel's request, already stressing just as much as Ruby and Cardin were, as they watched Russel follow Sky, Dove following Russel- while holding Rosemary, then JNPR, then Blake, Yang, Weiss, Coco, Sun, Neptune, and Penny, carrying with her Gilgamesh, whose presence immediately caught the eye of CRDL's leader, but was not enough to draw most of his ire. "We got you breakfast, Car-"

"-Why are all these faggots here, Russel?!"

"It's nice to see you too, Cardin." Blake said, honestly not surprised by his behavior, just as she was ignored by him, still staring at Russel, waiting for an answer.

Fortunately, Pyrrha answered Cardin, "We came here to thank you Cardin, for saving us yesterday," and in return, Pyrrha drew his frustration towards her. Though now, hearing their reason for coming here, Cardin softened up, subtly nodding his head, his facial muscles relaxing, sighing.

"... Okay, you're all welcome. Now get your asses outta here."

"Hold on, Cardin- Wait!"

"What?! What is it now?"

"Do you honestly think we're just gonna leave without you telling us what happened to all four of you?!"

"Now hold on Weiss!" Sky started, taking up a no-nonsense tolerating tone, as he laid his tray down. "We don't owe any of you an explanation for ANYTHING! Okay?"

And Jaune shot back, "What? So we're just suppose to accept that all of you are... just LIKE this now? Is that it? What if you all got some disease that turns people like this?!"

"Jaune, you absolute buffoon. They do not have any diseases. They were instead put under rituals that have ascended them into superior beings!"

Rosemary found herself now being the center of attention, her mere existence breaking their comprehension of how life exists in this world. But that was not what she picked up from it at all.

"... Oh sorry, I'm Rosemary, by the way."

"... How... why do you all have a talking brain? And how can it even talk?!"

Dove took it upon himself to answer Neptune, "Ahhh- you see, child of the ocean, Rosemary is contained with a jar, made out of the very blood of their kings, mixed with blessings from the Kasts themselves, that allow her to ABSORB the memories and knowledge of ANYONE who touches the glass. As such, when Sky, the first of my brothers to touch her glass, she took in his understanding of our current-day language, granting her the capabilities of being able to understand and speak with us today."

His answer was of very little help, further and further just confusing the students with overwhelming information that they could do very little with, along with his brothers too, just being left to take it all in.

"What has happened to Dove? He seems a little different." Once again, Rosemary would take it upon herself to answer a question only she could answer, for the Penny girl.

"Dove has been turned into scholar, a position of the Soloman empire of men who's minds are forever altered by the knowledge of the Kasts, and attain a higher understanding of the universe around them."

Just like with everything about CRDL, Rosemary was being of little help too, as Coco asked, "What the hell is the _Soloman empire and..._ Kasts?"

And AGAIN, Rosemary answered, "The Soloman Empire is what it is: an empire that existed long before Vale, Vacuo, Mistral, or Atlas existed. Before the Grimm came to be. And Kasts were to us what Gods are to you. With them, they guided the Solomans for their rule, in war against the other empires, or in war against the Neelanths, a vile horror of the cosmos, the sworn enemies of the Kasts, of mortals, of humanity, and all beyond in space and time."

"..."

"Need I explain more?"

"... No... no- it's all good, I understand." She did not understand at all. No one, save for CRDL, understood what Rosemary said, to occupied by the impact of hearing her words that rewrote their own understanding of history. Or it would have, if at least a third of them could comprehend it to begin with. "So they're just going to be like this forever, huh?"

"Yes, except for Dove. His mind will fully recover within a few weeks or so. But other than that, none of this is reversible."

"Not like we care anyway, we're all fine with this."

"Really Sky? You're at peace with the way you look now?" Ren, for the first time since entering the room, spoke up. "What about the rest of your brothers? Are they fine with this?"

"Yeah, I can see out of both sockets now. That's pretty cool."

"Yaaaas! And I, with my newfound KNOWLEDGE of this reality, will usher in prosperity for my brothers, and myself!"

"... Fuck, yeah- I'm fine with being put in a state that is between _life and death_ now."

"What does that even mean, Cardin?" Velvet inquired, her presnce alone catching him off-guard.

"Oh damn, I had no idea you were in here too-"

"-CARDIN!-"

"-ALL RIGHT! Jeez- it means I got no heart now."

"... Bullshit." It was called out as a bluff by Sun, just as Ruby, without asking permission, placed her hand onto Cardin's chest, where his newly attained scar was, juts to pull back, slowly, in realization that he spoke the truth.

"Wha- how? How are you even alive, Cardin?!"

He answered Rose, "I dunno," shrugging his shoulders, "just 'am. Guess it's pretty cool. It means I can pull off playing dead now."

"But how did you lose it?! Are you even okay with this?!"

"I said yeah, didn't I? I'm cool with it. But as for what tore it out... we don't know. Maybe it was a ghost, a Neelanth, a Kast, or fucking WHATEVER. The point is: I don't care that much. As long as I live and breathe, I'm all good with it."

"... Okay. If you're all fine with _this_ then who are we to be against it?"

"Rosemary just said we can't go back, Weiss. And we didn't choose to go through with it either. Whatever it was that tore our Cardin's heart did this to us while we were knocked out."

"Yes, Sky, I was just... GAH- forget about it. I'm leaving now." Weiss stated, being agreed with by several others, tired by this discussion now.

"Yeah, I think we should... we should leave too." Jaune stated, his team, almost all of RWBY, Sun, Neptune, Penny, concurring quietly, right as Coco opened the door.

"See you later, Cardin," was all she would said before leaving, followed by Velvet, JNPR, Sun, Neptune, Yang, Blake, Weiss, all sharing their goodbyes, thanking them again for yesterday, their tones being that of as if they were ungrateful of a gift they received, yet they still want to sound polite.

Ruby would whisper in Cardin's ear, just one word, "Bye," gently brushing his arm as she got up and left, following her sister, leaving Penny to stop at the doorway, still holding Gilgamesh.

"Should I leave her here? Or wo-"

"-Drop me! I want to be with Cardin!" Gilgamesh squirmed out of her arms, slamming onto the floor with little of a disgruntle grunt, rushing over to the Winchester and jumping up onto his lap, just being unacknowledged by Cardin, his eyes focused onto the floor, hands cusping together.

"Okay... bye."

"Bye Penny." Russel said back to her, shutting the door to her face, not too hard now, wanting to avoid making it look as if they were all displeased. He turned back to the door, pressing up against it, his arms crossed, his face stretched into a yawn. "Gah- that was terrible."

Sky agreed. "I know. At least they didn't go and try to ask us about what Cardin did to all those Grimm yesterday."

"Yeah, but honestly, I think they're all smart enough to figure it out on their own."

"Really? You gonna give them that much credit?"

Russel replied to Cardin, "Yeah, I mean it's not hard to figure out what you did. The barest thought they might have is that you just have command over Grimm. Blake and Pyrrha and Weiss, they're the ones who can probably think deeper on it."

"... You think they'll tell anyone?"

"Nah, they got no reason to."

"..."

"I don't think so at least..."


	19. Chapter 19

A couple weeks passed by, exams were taken, essays staring to be written, and CRDL found themselves just like they always are most of their time: bored, with their return to the same academy life they left for their mission. Though admittedly, it was not all the same old-same old, for with Rosemary's teachings, Sky and Russel had found themselves understanding their new bodies, and thus learned to utilize abilities long lost to modern man, but at a pace slower than a dying tortoise.

But for Dove, he just stood by, reveling, his mind seething, as it slowly repaired itself back to a stable state, now at this point, not speaking in an unknown accent, or speaking in a less verbose manner; he was essentially becoming his old-self, much to his brother's gratitude, but would still delve into an unhinged state once in awhile. But hey, they guessed it was worth it, since Dove can now apparently- as told by him and Rosemary alike- speak Soloman, understand more about the universe than any of them, and knows how to perform rituals that could help further their ascension into Kasthood.

"Yeah, let's... hold off on that, okay?" Was Russel's thoughts however, and his brothers agreed with him, noting that there's no need to hurry into ascension.

And Dove would reply, "Okay bro, but just keep in mind that whenever you want some more of that sweet, sweet, ascension, I'm always here for you." Rosemary of course would point out that she could perform the ritual herself, but no one really cared if she could or not, only to dismay her.

Gilgamesh, the small boarbatusk, she was a reluctant acceptance for Cardin. He felt for sure that nothing good would come with keeping her at Beacon. But thanks to Sky's whining, and Russel's persuasion, Cardin allowed her to stay. Mostly so far, they have left her in the room with Rosemary, with the T.V. on, and the remote in Gilgamesh's control, for them to enjoy, especially Rosemary, who still could not help herself from being impressed by the creation for television, and by all the different channels and their shows to watch.

Occasionally however, they would be brought out to the dining hall with CRDL, just so they can have someone to interact with. And no one even dared to point out Gilgamesh. Why? In God's green Remnant, CRDL had no idea why no students asked them about it.

As for Cardin, he had little to learn from Rosemary. What else would he be able to do with his own heart missing? It's just as Rosemary said: he now exists in a state between life and death. When he pondered about that, Cardin had almost convinced himself that she meant he was immortal.

And when he asked her if this were the truth, Rosemary replied, "You indeed will not die for old age, if that is what you mean by immortality."

"Fuck yeah!"

"BUT! But, you can still die from wounds and poison, Cardin."

"Pffft- poison? Winchester blood is immune to poison. Probably because of all those fucking hearts we eat. I basically have to worry about getting shot in the head now, or some shit like that!"

Although in his moment of celebration, Dove, Russel, and Sky all grew worrisome, for this immortality would only bring Cardin to watching all he loved die.

And when they brought that up, Cardin replied, just ever so casually. "Oh, well fine, I'll just kill myself when everyone I love dies, which is NO ONE. So whatever..." He did worry about it. But what he was to truly do when that unfortunate time comes- IF it were to ever come- that was left in the darkness of uncertainty.

Do not worry about the future, Cardin came to terms with, and worry only about the present.

Then there were the rest, the students. Their hatred, anger, ire for the brothers has long been struggling with their fear, horror, frightfulness towards them. But they came back from their first mission, all feelings of pure revulsion for the brothers had been totally pulverized, and in its place, the fear took over. They strayed, they ran, they stayed behind them, students, no matter where they were from, just did everything they could to get away from the mutated Disownians now. Don't look at them, don't go near them, and most certainly do not go and talk with them. Such was the unspoken rules among the rest of the student body.

CRDL would have thought that at least word would get out that they helped with saving Vale, but no, they guessed not. It was even demoralizing, seeing RWBY, JNPR, CFVY, Sun and Neptune become the most popular students, when word got out that THEY helped save the city, even Penny got some recognition on her part as well. But not CRDL, and even then, they assumed this was the best to begin with anyhow, as no one would know what it was that Cardin truly did.

Yet this is where the _funny_ part about the last two weeks come in though: despite being made out as being a plague to be avoided at all costs, the four brothers had found their relationship with RWBY and JNPR improving, even somewhat so with CFVY as well, and Sun, Neptune, and Penny. Mostly for the past two weeks, CRDL would end up being accompanied by members of RWBY or JNPR during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Which in turn, even resulted in some of the brothers hanging out with some of them in the library to study, or more so to chat, without anymore pestering about what happened to them on their mission.

The relationship between Ruby and Cardin was kept in the dark from everyone, being the wishes of Ruby herself. Her reasoning to Cardin was simple though: she did not want to risk Cardin into getting in a brawl with her big sister, if she were to react unruly. He could understand where Ruby ws coming from, seeing Yang as being overprotective enough to beat up any boyfriend Ruby gets.

It all was appreciated by the brothers, in differentiating ways though, but all four of them agreed that it was nice to see their interactions with JNPR and RWBY significantly improve.

Leading up to the lunch period, on Friday of all days, with CRDL, JNPR, and RWBY, sitting all together, enjoying their foodstuff that day, when Ruby asked them, "Hey, you guys wanna have a movie night?"

And Russel, answering for them, said, "Yeah, that sounds neat. When do y'all wanna have it?"

"Tonight."

"Oh... okay. Are we gonna have it in your room, or...?"

"Well, we were thinking that if you guys said yeah, then maybe we can have it in... your room." Jaune replied.

Sky would ask, "Our room? Why our room?"

"'Cause your guy's room is bigger than both of ours."

"Well... shit is it?" Yang confirmed it, nodding her head however, due to her mouth being full of food at the moment. "Well if it's going to be in our room, the we get to pick the movie, understand?"

"Yeah, sure- you guys can pick the movie. What do you all have in mind?"

"We only have horror movies," Dove answered, "a lot of frickin' horror movies."

" _Ohhhh,_ horror movies..."

"Do you got a problem with horror movies, Weiss?" Cardin inquired, smugly so.

"Yes, actually. I think they are disgusting; just nothing but gorefests for... men like you to enjoy."

"... I do like gore, I'll admit it. But if you don't want to watch a movie with it, Weiss _,_ then we'll make sure to pick one that caters to your special needs, _pwincess._ " The teasing between the students, however, as done little in terms of lightening up, but that one was the safest Cardin has delivered. But it still bothered Weiss, her face scowling in annoyance as Sky and Dove wholeheartedly chuckled.

"Also pick one that isn't too scary though." Ruby ruined their joy however, as each face of CRDL grimaced in disapproval, shaking their head, ashamed by her request. "W-What? What's wrong?"

Russel answered her, "Ruby, the point of horror movies is to scare people, yet you're asking us to find one that isn't TOO scary for you."

"Yes, and...?"

"..."

"I just don't want to go to sleep scared tonight, Russel!" A collective of groans filled the table, from all of CRDL to even Weiss, just baffled by her reasoning, embarrassing Rose to the point of blushing, to be left to be chastised by Dove.

"Ruby- gah, you are what, fifteen, sixteen? You're training to become a huntress! Yet you're too scared to watch a horror movie? Afraid of having a few nightmares tonight? Is that fucking it?" Rose's cheeks reddened, more and more, slumping in her seat, her eyes wandering towards her food, as her team grew disgruntled with Dove's ridicule of their petite, precious leader.

"Dove, calm down bro. Calm down." Fortunately, before he could continue on and potentially enrage them any further, Sky cut in, placing his four-fingered, clammy hand on his shoulder. "It okay bro. We got plenty of good movies to choose from. I'm sure we can find one that'll be good for everyone tonight." Of course Sky would get it all wrong:Dove was pissed that Ruby, who hopes with all her heart to one day become the most prolific huntress- like everyone at Beacon- was scare of horror movies. But in reality, Dove can see that it may indeed be his fault for overreacting.

"Fine." But that does not mean he will apologize, and most certainly that his respect- what little he had for Ruby to begin with- fell. "Did you all have a time in-mind for use to start?"

"We were thinking somewhere around nine, maybe."

"Whoooah- hold on," Cardin interjected, "that seems a little late, Yang. Can't you all just come a little earlier?"

"Cardin... it's a Friday night," and Pyrrha, deadpanning, informed him, just stumped by Cardin's cognitive skills, "we have no school tomorrow, you do know that, right?"

Cardin no answer, he just let his face to all the talking, as his golden eyes narrowed, the corner of his lips stretched into the straightest of lines- an embarrassed smile, and his head tilted down a bit, tittering quietly, shaking his head. "... Yeah. Yeah- I knew."

"No you didn't."

"... Do we have to prepare any food for you, dorks, or...?" Niko's eyes rolled, sighing in disbelief, resting her face on one of the palms of her hands, letting Jaune answer him.

"Oh no, you guy's don't have to do that."

"... DO you all at least want some beer?"

And again, Jaune answered, "No, we don't need any beer either, Cardin."

"Yeah- how the heck would any of you even be able to get beer onto Beacon campus anyhow?"

"Oh we already have beer, Yang. What the hell do you think we keep in those crates?"

"So you all literally have crates filled with alcohol in your room?"

"Nah Blake, they're filled with other stuff like clothes, ropes, jerky..." Sky suffered a brainfart, just trying to think if there was anything else in them, "... yeah, that's pretty much it."

"Do you even use your closets then?" She asked of a different matter, and again was met with an answer from the freakish Lark.

"... We didn't bring any coat hangers. And we also don't want to waste any lien on them."

"..."

"..."

"... So you just let your clothes pile up in crates."

"No, we pile them up on the floor."

"Do you wash them?"

"No."

"Yeah," Russel concurred, jokingly, with his brother, "we don't wash our clothes. We much rather enjoy walking around, feeling the grime and excess build up on our clothes and rub against our skin." Cardin and Dove's mouths twisted into shit-eating grins, their eyes starting to tear up in humorous joy, as they watched RWBY and JNPR revolt in total revulsion for the brothers.

* * *

"What did you do, Ziz?"

"What? That's a fucking fine _how do you do_ from you, Dion."

"The Grimm are growing restless! It is enough that more are starting to resist the call, but now they tell me that you have been using them to fight monsters that grow and crawl and howl from the depths below! What did I tell you about delving into the earth below!"

"Fuck off, Dion. It's not that serious of a problem anymore!"

"Oh? But it was indeed a problem, wasn't it? You released the ancient past for all of our current era, no matter if they are good or evil, to access and take for themselves! How much of it have YOU taken for yourself, Ziz?"

"There's just a bunch of fucking useless shit down there anyways- don't get your fucking wooden ass all twisted up now, Dion-"

"-ZIZ! YOU HAVE ALLOWED AN EVIL, FESTERING UPON THIS WORLD FOR EONS, LONG BEFORE THE GRIMM CAME TO BE, PASSAGE TO ITS OLD HOME! And for that, it is going to bring us all down to its feet, as it climbs above for what it once strived for!"

"The fuck are you talking about? What is this _evil?_ Are you actually going fucking senile right now?"

"You're ignorance is what will let it win, Ziz! Please! Just listen to me, for once more in your life, and do what is right!"

"Fucking- OKAY! What is it?! Fucking seal it up?! I can do that if you want!"

"NO! It is already too late for that!"

"Then what?! HUH! WHAT THE FUCKING HELL DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?!"

"... Ziz., I want you to call a meeting, with the leaders of Remnant, and tell them of what you all found."

"... Is that it? What the fuck is that gonna do?! I don't know what the fuck went down in there! How should I..."

"..."

"THE BOYS! My sons- they were down there when it all happened! They they- they must of, at least... saw whatever it was that caused all of this!"

"Where are they then? They can tell us of what took place down there!"

"I... they're back at Beacon."

"Oh nooo-"

"-No no, Dion- I can just visit them!"

"Then go! We must hurry an-"

"-Fuck no. I came here to fucking bless these Grimm, I'm going to do it at least right now. Then I'll go visit them."

"... Fine."

"At least when my schedule is free."

"Fine... the world may be at stake, but oh lord forbid you make up space in your schedule to address this issue."

"... Sometimes I dream about ripping your face off, Dion."

"Wonderful... simply wonderful..."

* * *

"Hey... we should like, pick a movie. It's like forty minutes or so left till nine."

"Oh don't worry, brother, I have took the liberty of picking a movie for us to watch."

"Oh, whatchu pick, Dove?"

"Hellraiser-"

"-GOD. NO. DOVE." It wasn't even a second after giving his answer that Dove was instantly shot down by Cardin. "That fucking scene man, where that dude is all chained up, will just put Weiss into a fit for fuck's sake! That damn movie is everything she DOESN'T want to see tonight. Fuck it'd might even scar Ruby for life tonight.-"

"You're only saying that because you tongue-fucked her weeks ago and now want to get in her pants, Cardin." And for Cardin, it was barely a second as well, when Dove retorted his leader, sending him off into a pathetic defense of denial.

"Pfffffft. Um, _no._ That's... like totally not true, at all."

"..."

"... O-kaaaaay- Listen, Dove, just... pick another movie, okay? Anything will be better than Hellraiser for tonight."

"Dawn of the Dead."

"Mmmmm- Nope! Try another one."

"Bone Tomahawk."

"Gah, fuck, Dove, no!"

"It's just that one scene, Cardin! Ruby and Weiss don't even have any testicles! They won't cringe at it as much as we did!"

"Nope. Nooooooooo- Pick another, Dove."

"I wanna fucking break your ass, Cardin."

"How about later?"

Dove whimpered, frustrated from the restraints that Weiss and Ruby had set for them tonight. Russel and Sky did not care the slightest about helping them, Dove did not know if they cared about Yang or Weiss as much as Cardin apparently does now, but whether they id or not, he was grateful for them not barking at his ass about picking an appropriate movie like Cardin.

Then it hit him like a solid brick, and with a snap of his fingers, he blurted out, "Ghostwatch!"

"Ghostwatch?"

"Ghostwatch." Cardin stared, his head still, before nodding, his lips pouting when asking them, "Ghostwatch?"

"... Yeah, that sounds pretty good."

"I think that's a good pick for tonight."

"Ah, then it's settled-"

"-Ghostwatch? Are you sure that would be good enough to entertain them?" Rosemary inquired, placed atop the nightstand near Sky's bed, near their room's opened window.

"Why would you ask tha- waitwait! I remember now, I remember now."

"Yes, Sky, you remember, don't you?"

"... Well that sucks. You can't even watch any of our movies without knowing what happens."

"Hmm, it is unfortunate, but it does not mean I can't enjoy watching them with all of you. I'm sure tonight will be fun, just as long as your friends like your choice of course."

"Oh, I hope they don't like it. I want THIS all to be a life ruining experience for all of us, so that they'll stop talking to us." Cardin proclaimed, sounding as serious to the pint where very one knew it was fake, just trying too hard.

But Russel played along. "Yeah, I don't really like hanging out with them anymore either."

"Don't you wanna fuck Weiss though?"

"..." Thrush shot his gaze towards Sky, his eye narrowing, face wrinkling in irritation, as the one of flame seared a whole into Sky's forehead, as he himself smiled, smiled, to point its started to hurt, worsening when he showed his teeth. "I... I do not want to fuck _Weiss,_ Sky."

"Not even a hatefuck? I'd hatefuck her."

"Yeah, me too."

"Ditto." Russel could feel his lips go dry, his head falling forward, chuckling in disbelief, trying to figure out if this was too a joke or not.

"Okay okay, hold up... I still think Weiss is pretty. But... but she's not into me, guys."

"But she danced with you, didn't she?"

"... Yeaaahhh... yeah, she did, Cardin. But it was more like me being FORCED by her to dance with her for ruining her night."

"... That sounds stupid. What the hell did you even do?"

"I told her about how I helped Jaune hook up with Pyrrha." Russel answered Cardin.

"Ahhh- I still don't get why that ruined her night."

"Mmhm, yeah, I honestly don't care about it anymore. At this point, I'd be lucky to get a _slag_ to fuck me, let alone actually wanting to develop a well-meaningful relationship..."

"..."

"..."

"... I'm hungry."

"Of course you are, fatso." Was Lark's pompous and proper response to Cardin, getting up from his bed, as Russel encroached upon him.

"Shut up, bitch." A cruel relationship, that soon would leave their own room, with Cardin opening the door, being followed by Russel and Sky, the latter closing the door behind him, leaving behind a Dove, Rosemary, and Gilgamesh, who whimpered and squealed, as she stomped over and started to push her head against the door.

"Nooooo- Caaaardin~" Dove rolled his eyes, sighing, irritated by the fact he had to deal with her now, before she starts to cry.

"Nah nah, c'mon Gilgamesh, he'll come back soon."

She turned around, her body visibly shaking in sadness and fury, as she exclaimed, "B-But I want to be with Cardin!"

"I know, I know. Just wait for him, okay?"

"N-No!-"

"-Here," Dove patted his lap, faking a smile, "come sit on ol' Uncle Dove's lap." A mewl of discomfort came from her, just prompting Dove to pat his lap again, "come on, come on." Eventually, he successfully coaxed her into doing so, jumping up onto his bed, but only to sit by his leg, curling up, oinking in a gentle fashion, as Dove himself relaxed, starting to use his scroll for his own entertainment. Until Rosemary start to preoccupy him.

"That didn't bother you at all?"

"What?"

"Your brothers, they just left you in here, without even looking back at you."

"Oh yeah, we do that to each other sometimes."

"But why?"

"'Cause that's how we are: just jerks to each other."

"Yet all of you are brothers. Brother should not treat one another as such as this, or any other way."

"Mmmm... yeah, I get it. But no matter how badly we treat each other, we'll always be brothers still. It's been that way for a long time. I treat Cardin like shit, he treats Russel like shit, we ALL treat ourselves as shit, but we do it because we love each other."

"... That doesn't make sense."

"We love each other so much, Rosemary, that we know that we don't really mean it whenever... say, Sky tells Russel that he's going to kill him. Or whenever Cardin calls me a chubby manlet that has no hope of ever getting a wife. That's just how young men like us nowadays act like when they become close friends."

"Hmph, and you're fine with it yourself? You never find any pain when you're treated like trash by your own adopted brothers?"

"... It does get sting a little, whenever we start to dig into our own little traits or habits we're self-conscious about. But I still take it, because I'm not a little bitch."

"I see. And does... RWBY, or JNPR, treat each other like you all do?"

"... No, not really. But RWBY are just all girls. Girls treat their friends kindly still."

"And as for Jaune and Ren?"

"Uh... they're nice to one another too, and their own teammates."

"So then they way you and your brothers treat one another is truly not how all men treat their friends-"

"- Hold up, hold up. Ren and Jaune haven't been friends, let alone BROTHERS, for over decade like us! They've only known each other for probably eight, or nine months. Of course they're not gonna call each other faggot, or loser, or beat one on another."

"Or, or, it could be because they aren't such mentally unstable human beings like all of you."

Dove's expression went into an open smile, his baby-blue eyes just staring up at the ceiling, as he processed what Rosemary just said.

"... Yeah, that... that's a good point."

"Yes, yes, but, the trauma you all suffer is probably why you all still remain such close brothers. Perhaps you all find comfort in your own presences, for you all suffered together, and you would not rather suffer with anyone else but them."

"..."

"..."

"... I'm going to the bathroom."

"Okay." Dove brought himself up, softly brushing aside Gilgamesh, leaving her to snuggle within his own sheets, and Rosemary to stare out the open window- even if she was capable of such a thing. She must be, right?

Dove would think so, shutting the door behind him and whipping it out. He would imagine her being able to see, how else would she know of what surrounded her? Or maybe it is just darkness, black, except for these glowing fires of energy, of different colors, different shapes, sizes, ferocity, each exclusive to each individual. Maybe.

He finished up, tucking himself back in and washing his hands, getting under those nails, having been left unwashed for the whole day, to be scrubbed, scrubbed, scrubbed.

Get that grime out, that filth, I can't have my little scholar all dirty now.

His throat bulged, gulping on this air, shaking, throbbing, veiny, as the bathroom flickered, dark, light, dark, light. It stopped right as he looked up at the mirror, seeing that it was still him, his eyes baggy, puffy, forhead's own bullet hole, that ugly white streak in his hair.

Get rid of him. Dove hated his own reflection now, or more so a hatred and fear for mirrors. All of his brothers developed it now, not out of disgust for how they look of course. But it was just that every second the spent, looking into the mirror, silent, looking right into their eyes, they start to fear their own reflection, foul reflections.

They once woke up in the middle of a night, to watch Sky destroy all of their own mirrors, smashing them to pieces with his fists, of those lanky arms. They sat in their beds, complacent, there was no need for them to protest, just sit in peace, letting their beady eyes follow every rise and fall of the heaving Lark that night, lit up by a small lamp, his shadow was of a ferocious cretin.

Dove couldn't believe he had forgotten about the mirror in the bathroom. After all the time that had passed since then, this one little mirror had been left to live, to thrive, to mock them every moment they had entered to piss, to shit, or to bathe themselves, blissful of its presence.

Well, not for long. Dove slammed his fist into the sheet, shattering it completely, his face tightening, breathing like a damn animal in heat, fogging up the shards, fog 'em all up, hurry. Stop that thing, smiling. Oh God- I saw it! I need to stop it!

THAT

 _ **SMASH**_

 _ **CLICK**_

"... Uhhhh- Dove?"

"..."

"People are breaking into your room, Dove!"

"Wait- no we're not!" He could hear Ruby, muffled from behind the door, from the ringing, defending herself and whoever she brought with her

"Then why are you here?"

"'Cause we're having a movie night in CRDL's room! Didn't they tell you that?" And there was Jaune.

"Yes."

"Then why are you calling us intruders?!"

"I never said such a thing, did I?" Dove found himself snickering, blood staining his teeth, smiling, as he brought himself to his feet, going and pushing the door open, seeing of course, Ruby and Jaune, accompanied by Nora, Ren, and-

"-What is she doing here?"

Dove pointed at her, Penny, who already now felt a sense of being singled-out by the ire in Dove's voice, from the bleeding Dove, albeit he meant no ill. He was to be answered by Ruby, "We invited her to join us, is that okay?" she too hearing some of the venom in his tone.

"Yeah, that's fine, that's fine." He stated, calmer, friendlier, as Penny felt something pressing at her feet, looking down to see Gilgamesh, recognizing her. "Just as long as she..." she picked up Gilgamesh, who squealed for a moment, before accepting her hold, nuzzling her snout into her chest, "is... fine with horror movies."

"Oh, don't worry, I am fine with watching them." Penny replied, sitting herself down onto Sky's bed, as Ren and Nora did as well, choosing Dove's own bed- a irk to his mood- and Weiss in one of their chairs, while Ruby and Jaune sat up on one of the crates, all still remaining conscious of the sight before them, both the state of their room, and Dove.

"Dove?"

"Yeah Weiss?"

"Are you okay? You're head is bleeding."

"... Yeah, I'm _okay._ My aura can take care of it."

"What did you do to yourself?"

"I just tripped, and slammed my head against the bathtub," he lied through red-soaked lips, actually now starting to wipe the blood away, "that's all."

"It looks like you smashed your head into the mirror instead." Ren however, was able to see the bathroom from Dove's bed clearly, noticing the shattered glass, stained with blood, as Dove looked back to the room itself.

And just closed the door, without even thinking, as he turned back to say, "It don't matter. None of it matters."

"Oh, it _don't_ matter? Is that it?" Weiss asked. "It _don't_ matter than you smashed your head into your bathroom mirror? Is that it?"

"You don't know that was what happened."

"Really? Then what did happened?"

"Okay, Weiss, forget about it, okay? We're here just to have a little movie night, and this discussion is going to soil the mood before w-"

"-Dove, we just want to know what happened in there."

Dove puffed his cheeks, incredulous, his face almost turning purple before he answered Ruby. "Okay, the answer is yes: I did smash my head into the mirror."

"Can you tell us why?"

"... No."

Okay," Ruby nodded her head slowly, "okay, that's... fine. Now how about... all of this?" She next gestured, all over the room, to the scarred ceiling, scarred walls, scarred floor, carved into them runes of circles, triangles, squared, forced to be smashed into one another, by the hand of a temporary madman.

"Oh, I did all of this when I will still bonkers. It's meant to just ward off evil energy, spirits, demons, shit like that." Silence fell upon them, their eyes blank, mouths open, thinking, until Jaune replied.

"Does it uh... does it actually work?"

"Yeah, it all works. Isn't that right Rosemary?"

"Yes, Dove had followed all of the proper steps in order to bless this room into a sanctuary. No Neelanths, nor evil in any form, shall step foot into this room, if they know what is best for them."

"... Can you do it for us?"

"WHAT?! Ruby- no! Absolutely not!" Weiss burst, standing now on her feet, fist pressed against her hips, slightly leaning forward. "We're not inviting DOve over to vandalize our room with his street art, that he claims _wards_ off ghosts and monsters that only little kids believe exist!"

"Weiss! You're telling me you don't believe in ghosts?!"

"YES! RUBY- they don't exist!"

"But they do." Rosemary butted in, now getting Weiss to turn back and shoot her icy daggers at the brain, nostrils widen, her elegant brows, furrowed and ruined in annoyance. "I honestly can't understand why you don't believe these things exists, when I, who is to you a literal talking brain-in-a-jar, is real. When Cardin, Russel, Dove, and Sky are all perfect examples of Kast and Soloman magic being a success. But you don't believe ghosts exist?"

"..."

"You're just quite a raunchy bitch, Weiss. And honestly, I don't understand what it is that Russel sees in you. He finds there to be some sort of beauty in you that is only clouded by your snob-ridden arrogance!"

"... Why you little-"

"-Hey hey! That's enough, Rosemary, Weiss," Dove practically sprinted, arms out, his palms waving, "that's enough with all of this! Okay? We're just here to have a fun, little movie night. I don't want there to be any badmouthing between anyone anymore! We're already past that." They weren't, as noon provides a good example that they weren't. "Okay? If any of you, or anyone, continues on with behavior like this, then movie night IS cancelled, got it?!"

A collective of firm nods, Dove was received with, their optimism visibly draining, much to his displeasure. But to hell with it, for Weiss was one who's head remained still.

"Got it, Weiss?"

"...Yes." She murmured a suitable-enough response for Dove, her eyes refusing to meet with his, much rather choosing to just stare at the floor, with her arms crossed. Dove took a second no more of eyeing her up, before turning his back, going and closing the room window.

Just to see it, again, in the reflection of the glass, there among the stars, staring back at him, gleefully, as his body went cold, hairs on his arms standing up, brushing daintily against the sleeves of his shirt. He stepped- or more so dragged- himself back, slow as one could be, his expressing that of stone anger, remaining strong against his own fear.

"Dove?"

"... Yeah, Penny?"

"I'm sorry if we're annoying you. If you want, we can just leave and come back later." He kept his gaze on it, just hearing nothing but a moaning silence, like one to being alone in a series of caverns, void of even the smallest of bats, and scattering of bugs, all except for Penny's own voice.

"No, no it's okay. You all can stay." He shut the curtains, sternly, thinking about the possibility of buying a few boards, nails, and a hammer...


	20. Chapter 20

"HEYUMP!-" Dove mumbled, groaned, with a dry, scratchy throat. Oh how arid it was, as he winced, frowned in disapproval, whimpered hoarsely so, sitting himself up in his own bed. His hand ran through unkempt hair, scratching his scalp, eyes scaling down to his lap, ignorant of their room while he looked at a sleeping Gilgamesh, her soft, piggish snores being one of may in the room.

And by his side, not much of a shock to his waking body, was Penny, eyes closed, sound asleep, her pale cheeks slightly red, with her orange hair reflecting any light striking down on it. God was she adorable, that was the first thing Dove would groggily think of, just being perfectly fine with the fact she rested herself up against him, even with her arms still being wrapped around his waist.

Dove's mouth started to water, as those dirty thoughts came. He went as far as even laying a hand onto her head, softly, making sure he didn't wake her up, as he started to think of all those positions he read of on his scroll, feeling his pants become tighter as he envisioned putting Penny into them, thinking of all those cute sounds she'd make as he just took.

"Ooooohhhhh- J-just control yourself." But Dove stopped himself from going any further, remembering that he may actually not be alone in the room. And he was right too, though everyone was just asleep. His brothers, RWBY, and JNPR, were all just passed out everywhere in the room. Blake and Yang- humorously- cuddling with one another on top of one of the crates. Ren, Jaune, Nora, and Pyrrha were just cluttered against one another, all underneath a pile of blankets. Ruby and Cardin were sharing a bed together, in a mess of a manner- Ruby was literally small enough to sleep on Cardin as if he was another bed himself.

Russel and Weiss, they both slept in his bed as well, though they weren't so close to each other- or more rather weren't simply so squished up against one another. And Sky, well he had his own bed all to himself, his mouth agape in joyous rest, sprawled out on his sheets, all the while, Dove said, "What the **heck** happened in here?"

And Rosemary, still on the nightstand, in the sun's rays, answered him. "You were all drinking something you pulled out of one of your crates, as you all watched the film. Yet you all went to sleep, one by one, and by the end of the movie, all of you were sound asleep." Dove was pinching his forehead, rubbing his eyes, as the realization came to him of what happened.

"Damn, I pulled out the wrong drin-"

"-And while you were all sleeping, I was able to hear screaming coming from outside."

"... What? Screaming?"

"Along with shouting, gunshots, roaring, all followed by an earthquake. Or at least I think it was an earthquake, a small one at that. Or perhaps it was a monolithic one, far away from here. The whole time, I listened to your headmaster announcing to the students to stay in their rooms as it all happened. Yet all of you were just knocked out, from those sleep-inducing drinks you all consumed."

Dove rushed to the window, pulling away the curtains, "Gilgamesh, poor Gilgamesh, she was whimpering the whole time too. I tried to calm her down, but the shaking lasted for almost two minutes, she had a hard calming down."

There was nothing. Nothing outside to indicate a skirmish had taken place. All there was was just droplets on the glass, soaked streets, and gray clouds parting for the sun to shine all over Beacon, buildings shining back, their roofs reflecting light with more intensity than usual.

"How long do you think the shaking lasted?"

"... I'd guess a good four, maybe even five minutes."

"Excweeze me?" He turned right back at her, his brown brows raised in shock, "five minutes? Are you sure?"

"I am sure."

"That would mean a fucking earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 or more occurred here, Rosemary. A MEGAQUAKE."

"And...? Is that rare?"

"Yes, that's PRETTY fucking rare, Rosemary!"

"Oh, I see. But the shaking doesn't seem to be worthy of being a megaquake." She commented, recalling every earthquake she had ever felt before now. Some with shaking having been more powerful than this, yet lasting only seconds, or even just a minute.

"Yeah, so it must have been far away, the... epi-EPICENTER! It must have been far from us."

"Ah, I see now. So would that _also_ mean the shaking would have lasted longer at this epicenter?"

"... Yeah," Dove's thoughts went on, his eyes looking back outside, squinting in the light, just realizing the immeasurable amount of people that were rushing the boulevards of Beacon, "... how much time do you think passed since the earthquake?"

"I'd say... honestly not too long ago. Maybe two hours ago." Dove's stomach dropped. His eyes, fixated on the terrified, confused, or emotionally-drained faces of whom he now recognized as evacuated citizens.

"They... they evacuated Vale."

"Ah, I see. They brought them to higher ground then, to wait out the tsunami's arrival."

"But is Beacon high enough?"

"I'd say yes."

"Yeah, it's big enough to protect us from a tsunami made by an earthquake along the range of 9.0, but in this case-"

" **-Attention CRDL, may Cardin Winchester please report to the Headmaster's office? I repeat: may Cardin Winchester please report to the headmaster's office? That is all.** " Goodwitch's voice echoed, not fazing any of the panicking civilians down on the streets, nor being loud enough to awaken Cardin, as Dove looked at him, still sleeping, his chest gently rising and falling with little difficulty from the sleeping Ruby on top of him.

Even when Dove went to his bed and started poking his cheeks, forcing open his eyelids, and whispered into his ears, "Wake up," Cardin did not even shift a muscle in response. He just stayed asleep, leaving Dove to just stand still, silently staring down at him, before looking at their door, scarred by the sacred runes carved-in by Dove himself.

"I'll go speak to Ozpin myself," he told Rosemary, not looking at her however, as he went into the bathroom, "if my brothers woke up, tell them where I went. Anyone else, you tell them to leave." Turning on the shower, Dove shoved his head under to cold stream, shivering his skin for a few seconds before he pulled away, turning it off, and turning to the mirror.

"Oh yeah..." He remembered what he did to it last night though, staring at the shatter glass. Yet nonetheless, he still took his brush on the sink, and combed his hair to his own liking, wanting to at least make himself look somewhat-presentable to the headmaster.

Once he was satisfied with how his hair looked among the broken shards, Dove left the bathroom, seeing no one had still woken up, not like it mattered to him anyhow, already unlocking the door, and telling Rosemary,"All right, love you sweetie. See you later." Shutting the door behind him, leaving Rosemary to feel her jar warmth in aura from the statement.

"Y-You too." Rosemary told him, quietly, as he shut the door behind him. Her attention, to be directed at a stirring Penny...

* * *

 ** _DING!_** **  
**

"Come in."

Dove stepped out of the elevator, trying to hide his exhaustion of having to navigate among the fretting mob that was all of Vale city's population, let alone in a warming, morning sun, at a time of which his asthma was strong. His breaths were quiet, yet quick, as Ozpin started to talk from his cushy chair.

"Dove? Where is Mister Winchester?"

And he responded, trying his best not to wheeze. "He... he's sleeping. I couldn't wake him up. So I cam here to take his place instead." Ozpin believed him, knowing well that Cardin was currently suffering problems with sleeping, what with all the reports he was receiving from professors complaining about it.

"I see. Well have a seat Dove, and we'll talk." Dove took his seat across of the headmaster graciously, as the silver-headed man took a sip out of his mug before starting. "Now I'll be straight with all of this. You and I both know that so much has just occurred within the span of these past few hours: Beacon was attacked, an earthquake struck us in less than an hour after the assault, and now we're taking in civilians from the city to protect them from a tsunami that will hit us at any minute now, all the while our attackers fled into the forest surrounding Beacon."

"Oh yeah?" Dove lowly replied, his eyes being dead, void of any expression for a second.

"Yes, and I wanted to talk to Cardin about this, but... well, Mister Bronzewing, with all of these citizens flooding the campus, we're going to have to at least use the outskirts of Beacon for them to camp out any tsunami that comes. And albeit we may have some soldiers from Atlas here with us, along with the security and police of Vale, I fear they may not be enough to deal with both Grimm and whatever... those things were that attacked us last night."

"What... _things?_ - _"_

"-Dove... Cardin's semblance, ability, whatever it may be, can he... somehow communicate to the Grimm around Beacon."

Dove was hesitant with answering that, but yet he knew where Ozpin was going with this discussion. "You want him to try and ward off Grimm, huh? Tell them not to attack anyone on Beacon's outskirts, is that it?" The truth is that Cardin can indeed communicate with Grimm telepathically, but in only a limited radius of 50 miles or so. Dove was not sure if he had been training his telepathy or not though, at least ever since they came to Beacon that is.

"That, and also to... tell them to hunt down our attackers."

"What do they look like? We'll need a description of them, if you want the Grimm to hunt them down."

Ozpin, not skipping a beat, took out his scroll before him, fiddled with it, opening on it, as he spoke in a hushed manner, his voice, grainy for the moment, " _This..._ is what they look like."

Dove's scroll vibrated, and out it came, as Dove turned it on, seeing that Ozpin had sent it as a file to him. He opened it, saw them, a series of images, of these monsters, abominations. They were just tall, naked, skinny humanoids, their skin black as night, with bright, white, triangles on their chests. But what was the most frightening to Dove, enough to have his sweat turn cold, was that he recognized them.

Neelanths. His accursed blessing of the Soloman Empire's knowledge told him exactly what they were. Their existence today being confirmed right before his eyes.

"I don't know what they are, Dove. I don't know where they came from, and I don't know what they want from us. But they must be dealt with, or at least preoccupied, until we can send the citizens back to to the city."

Dove gave no response. He just stared on at the images, as he scrolled through them, seeing how they moved, how they attacked the security forces, how their vacant eyes reflected off any light shined upon them.

"And what I'm about to ask, Dove, is completely up to your team: if you all want, you can join the hunt for these... things." That was when his head came back up, his brows furrowing over his squinting eyes.

"Hunt? You're sending students out there to hunt these things?"

"No, no, I'm sorry, that was a poor choice of words on my part. What I mean is your team can volunteer to patrol Beacon at night. To keep in check of the citizens, and to be there if... another wave of these monsters come at night."

"I see. I see."

"Yes. Now for another point I'd like to discuss... is about Cardin going out to the forest every night."

"... You know?"

"Yes, Bronzewing, you should know by now how well informed I am of everything that happens within even a single minute in my academy. But I never did anything about it, since he always returned unscathed each morning. But after I heard of how he save Vale city, I couldn't help but wonder if what he _did there_ is in fact what he's been _doing_ in the forest ever since he came here to Beacon..."

"..."

"Well, what I'm getting at is that you tell Cardin that I think he should avoid going into Emerald at night for a few weeks. I'm sure he has Grimm in there who'll protect his well-being with their very lives, but it's better safe than sorry, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yeah, yeah I agree. That sounds good." Ozpin smiled, one that Dove could believe to be of genuine gratefulness, the first expression of its kind that of which Dove had seen ever since he came here.

"That's pleasing to hear. And if you and your brothers want to volunteer for tonight, then feel free to do so, understand?"

Dove turned off his scroll. "Yes headmaster."

"Then you're dismissed."

* * *

"Holy shit- I just wanna fuggin eaaaat!" Sky exclaimed, having just entered the mess hall with Cardin and Russel- who carried Rosemary in his hands. And at their feet was Gilgamesh, keeping close to them from the crowded hall of both citizens and students.

"Cool it, Sky, I'm sure we can eat outside-"

"-That's not it, Cardin! I'm upset because there's probably no fucking food left for us!"

"Oh." Cardin supposed Sky was right to assume that, seeing how it'd be cruel to deny any of these displaced citizens any food.

Russel was the first to suggest that, "Well we'll never know if we get in line, will we?" Which made Lark want to tell his brother to sod off. But yeah, Sky guessed he had a point as well. The five got in line, Gilgamesh oinking viciously at anyone that drew near, and Cardin telling her to stop, until they were face-to-face with one of the chefs; a big old bastard, his gut hidden under a shirt and apron, and his brown beard glistening with captured sweat.

"Sorry boys," his voice was rather high though, along with being scratchy, like he had a soar throat, "but I won't be able to give you much today. We have to ration the food for any civilian that's hungry."

"Well what can you give us anyways, Bill?"

"This." He answered Cardin, by laying on each of their trays scrambled eggs, and two strips of bacon.

They thanked him for the breakfast, and left the line. Trying not to spill their trays among the crowd as they searched for seats to take their butts. But unfortunately, among the faces of crying children, parents who tried to calm them, and annoyed students, there were no places to sit down and eat at. So the next best thing- to them at least- was to just go outside, and find somewhere to eat. Maybe even go to their room.

Outside however, the sun was mild on their skin, soothing their minds in amongst the citizens and students alike. The brothers, the brain, the boarbatusk, they did not care for what was happening around them at that moment. They did not bat an eye at the murmurs of a tsunami from civilians, or the speculation of what attacked Beacon from the students.

Why would they care after all, when in their sight, they caught glimpse of an oh-so wonderful looking grassy knoll, free of people to spoil their moods. They all sat down on the knoll, cross-legged, side-by-side, as Russel sat Rosemary down beside him, and Gilgamesh curled up again Cardin. Here, they started to enjoy the breakfast they were given, bathing in the cozy rays from above, just watching the traffic of humans and faunus pass by.

"This is nice." Cardin went, smiling, his chest breathing lightly in peace, as Sky agreed with him.

"Yep."

And Russel as well, "Mmm-hm."

Rosemary commented, "Even in a time of obvious distraught and worry, you three still somehow find solace this morning.-"

"-HEY GUYS!" All of the brothers grimaced, just as Nora, not caring for their comfort, forcibly sat herself between Russel and Sky, having a tray of breakfast of her own. "Thanks for saving us a spot! It sure is crowded today."

" _Yeeeaah,_ saved it just for you guys." Russel irked, scooting himself and Rosemary over for Ren- who was more mindful of the Thrush boy- to sit himself by Nora's side. Next to Rosemary, Yang and Blake sat themselves down, and by Cardin, so did Pyrrha, Jaune, and Ruby- preferring to be right next to him. While Weiss, having some common sense, refused to sit.

"Are you all serious? This grass is wet!"

"It's not that wet, Weiss." Sky refuted, acknowledging that there was indeed some sense of mud staining his bottom as of now.

"It's wet enough to stain my uniform, _Sky._ "

" SO? It's a uniform, Weiss. It's not one of you prissy white dresses. Plus you're wearing stockings, so just sit down."

"No, you gangling cretin. Unlike you, I actually care about how I look, and I care about the consequences of my actions."

"... Don't fucking bully me." Sky, unsparingly so, extended his long, pale arm, grabbed Weiss by her skirt, clenching as he pulled her- or moreso tossing her- at Russel's direction, landing on her back. It was immediate, before their eyes, that Sky's actions was indeed going to have consequences, as they watched, some trying to hold back laughter, watched Schnee's face scrunch up, reddening, her body quaking in holy fury.

Within the snap of a finger, she shot up, face burning red, as she looked at Russel and demanded, "THRUSH! Are you just going to let him treat me like this?!"

"... What-"

"-Punish Sky now! He needs to be taught that you can't just _manhandle_ a woman like he just did without consequence!"

"Ah- don't take it personally. Sky would have done the same to a man as well. He is a firm advocate of equal treatment for both genders."

"That... GAH!- NO! Russel, that's not what I'm implying! Your brother doesn't have a right to do what he just did to me, without suffering some form of **PUNISHMENT.** "

Russel's mouth widened, his head nodding in agreement, his one brow raising, as the fiery orb of his other eye flashed bright for a second. "Yeah, I understand..."

"Then do something about it!"

"Why does he have to do it? You can do it yourself, princess. Or better yet, I can do it for you." Yang proposed, a glint in her eyes as she playfully grinned and stared at the pale Sky. He too looked back, his face pleading for not to do so, when in reality he'd love to be slammed around by Ruby's beautiful vixen of an older sister.

"No Yang, Sky doesn't learn anything when it's just us punishing him. Our opinions or feelings don't matter to that... _profligate._ But his brothers hold influence on him. They're the only ones who can change him. Plus, if Russel ever wishes to become... closer to me, then he has to at least stand-up for me once in awhile when I'm harassed by scoundrels like Sky."

Sky snorted in laughter, "Ha, get closer to you? Why would Russel want that? Only faggots like girls."

"Sky," Pyrrha berated him, "please don't use that word. Plus, gay men aren't attracted to women. They're attracted to men."

Lark, in response, just licked his bottom lip, with narrowed eyes leering at the redhead, while Cardin shook his head in disapproval.

Jaune went out of his way to explain to her, "Pyrrha, it's a joke. Sky knows that faggo- gay men don't like women."

Ignoring his correction, Blake was quick to retort, "Yes, but Sky isn't trying to be funny here. He's just being _edgy._ -"

"-Edgy?!" And Cardin, appalled, took his time express his feelings towards her comment. "Blake, you're so fucking edgy I cut myself from just looking at you. All dressed in fucking black, acting like such a loner, with your little baby katana- which is also _fucking_ black- or dark gray, whatever."

"Don't go telling me that wearing black makes me an edgy punk, when YOU wore a hood over your face for almost the entire school year!"

"I wore my hood because I was fucking self-conscious about how I look- DON'T FUCKING BULLY ME!-"

"-Can we please get back to the matter at hand, please?! Just... Russel- do something!"

"About Sky?"

"Yes!"

"No."

"He can't keep acting like this forever!"

"Okay, you know Weiss," Sky raised his hands up, his long, greasy, pale fingers shining in the sunlight, "if it matters to you that much, fine: I'm sorry for pulling on your skirt." The apology was unimpressive. Weiss easily saw through his facade of seemingly being apologetic. But before she could even call him out on it, Dove, just arriving from behind them, spoke up.

"I leave you alone for the morning and I come back to you perving on girls Sky?" Said-student turned his long neck around, looking at the brunette with glee.

"Yeah, but I'm a changed man now. As you heard, I'm starting to take responsibility for my actions."

"Hm, don't give a shit, but whatever. Cardin, Ozpin needs you to do something." Dove went on, pulling out his scroll, prepared to present his brother the pictures of these aliens.

"Do what?" Dove looked at the others, his brothers, RWBY, JNPR, they were all staring at him, their gazes pressuring him to just tell them all what has happened. But in his own opinion, Dove felt it would be best if he discussed this with only two who he knows would not panic at the existence of Neelanth being here on Remnant still.

"Talk to me privately, and take Rosemary with us."

"Hm?" The brain was not given an explanation, not even a glance as Cardin picked her up and left the group, telling them to keep eating. They walked about a dozen meters or so until Dove stopped.

"Okay, Cardin, Rosemary, I want you both to see this." He opened the file, pulled an image out, and presented it to Cardin and Rosemary. His brother's face blanched, his gold eyes blaring at the very same monster, or now monsters, that he encountered that horrific night, as Rosemary responded.

"Cardin! Those are the monsters you fought that night!"

"Wait what?!" Immediately, Dove questioned Rosemary, finding himself to be confused when he really should not be. "The hell you mean _fought?!_ Cardin, when did you fight thes..." Of course, he thought to himself, it was that stormy, howling night, the one when all of CRDL finally journeyed into the forest together. The night where they found Cardin exhausted, drenched in mud and rain and blood. The night his hood was ripped from his poncho. "Cardin... is she talking about that night?"

And Cardin answered, his palms sweating onto the glass of Rosemary's jar,"... I-I thought it wasn't real. I thought it was just... just one of my hallucinations. But once we found Rosemary and I touched her, she told me the truth... they're Neelanths." Dove, he stared at his brother, almost hearing his breath shake.

"They were what attacked this academy last night? Were did they go?"

"Ozpin says they ran back into the forest, Rose, and he believes they're still there. That's why he wanted me to ask Cardin if he could command the Grimm in Emerald to hunt them down and protect the citizens here from another attack."

"..."

"CARDIN."

"Y-Yeah? Oh- yeah, I heard you bro. Yeah, I can get them to do it. I can."

"Good, also I think you should... stop going into the forest for a little while, ya know, just to wait for these alien freaks to clear out." Dove chose to tell Cardin in this manner, thinking to himself that his brother would be more comfortable not knowing Ozpin was already aware of his trips.

"Good idea, I'll-"

"-Wait! Is this really all we are doing?" Rosemary inquired. "Dove, you know now, as well as I, that there is much more than we can do than just sic Cardin's beasts out in the forest." Bronzewing was aware of what she meant: a ritual.

"It's too dangerous though. If we do it in the forest, we'd be surrounded by those freaks, and if we do it in Beacon, we'd be putting citizens at risk."

"Wait, what are you two talking about?"

"Cardin... there's a ritual we could conduct that would lure in Neelanths," Rosemary explained, "it does not require much, and it would be incredibly efficient to exterminate the Neelanths."

"But I just told you why it's a terrible idea."

"Then let's next best thing."

"And that is?" If Rosemary had a body, she'd physically convey to Dove that he most certainly knows what the next best thing is. "... OH! I know! I know- runes!"

"Runes? Like what you carved in our room?"

"Yes Cardin, like those ones. If we go around campus, setting up runes all over that ward off Neelanths, then we won't have to worry about another attack from these things for awhile."

"...Awhile?"

"Well, at least long enough until we get out of Beacon." Cardin nodded, getting the point.

"Well, then... when should we do it?"

"At night. That'll be the best time, when everyone here is settled down and won't be bothering us. Yet if any of them ask, we can just say we're volunteering to patrol the campus." Cardin's lips twisted into a smug grin, nodding, listening to Dove.

"Indeed, it would be best to do this at night." Rosemary agreed.

"That's a clever idea Dove. God you're so smart. It must be that autism of yours."

"I don't have autism, Cardin."

"And I don't care, let's just get back to these losers." Cardin proceeded, his face visible of embarrassment. Dove closed his scroll and hid it. "Also don't mention this to any of them, except for our brothers. I don't think Ozpin will want word spreading out that there's magical, hostile aliens inhabiting the forest."

"Well actually, I'm pretty hungry, so I'm going to-"

"No no, don't go to the mess hall, it's crowded with all sorts of people who are about to lose their homes. You can have the rest of my breakfast, I'm barely ate any of it cause I'm not that hungry anyhow." Shrugging his shoulders, Dove took Cardin's offer, not caring for any germs it may have. The two joined back with the group, in the midst of more calm discussion.

The three festered in the groups ignorant, looking forward to nightfall in uncertainty. Cardin had to shut his eyes to do what must be done, setting Rosemary by his side, as crowded streets, barking people, chirping birds, Gilgamesh's squeals, they all were smothered to his ear, fading away, drowned out by chanting.

Cardin, Cardin, Cardin.

We answer your call, our liberator.

Was what they said, and their "liberator" answered. He recalled that very creature itself, from that very night, burning it into their minds.

Do you all see this monster? Remember what it looks like. There are many of these freaks that live in the forest that surrounds Beacon, and I want all of you to protect the academy from them. They can disguise themselves into humans or faunus, so if catch one in your sight, whatever form it is in, chase it down and kill it by any means necessary. I do not care if it is an actual human or faunus, we cannot risk them coming near the academy. Am I clear enough for all of you?

Yes.

Yes.

We understand.

We will hunt them down until not one remains in the forest. We will do it for you, Cardin.

Cardin.

"Cardin!" He snapped out the void, the world coming back to his senses. "Cardin," he looked at her, Ruby, her big, grey eyes reflecting the sunlight, "what were you tw-three talking about?" She had almost forgotten about Rosemary, a common occurrence for anyone in RWBY or JNPR, as Rosemary tends to keep quiet most of the time when they're with CRDL.

Dove answered for Cardin. "It's nothing you need to concern yourself with, Ruby," with a stern tone, like he was scolding a child. It did little to deter Ruby however, her defiance showing her own dirty look as she retorted.

"Well I'm _concerning_ myself with it. What were you three talking about?"

"Ruby, I love you, but we can't tell you what we were talking about." Cardin told her, oblivious of his usage of "love." Fortunately, everyone else ignored it too, feeling like it was just Cardin being endearing.

"You three aren't planning on doing anything illegal, are you?"

"No."

"Yes." Dove told the truth, Cardin was the one who lied, conflicting each other with how to respond. "I-I mean... maybe. Maybe what we're going to do is illegal."

"Cardin... don't make us report you to Ozpin."

"Fucking do it, Pyrrha," Cardin turned his agression to a hundred it a blink of an eye, "do it, I fucking dare you to do it, roastie!"

"What did you just call me?!"

"Calm down! Both of you," seeing how Cardin just royally screwed everything over, Rosemary saw fit to take control of the mess, "we're not planning on doing anything illegal. All we were talking about was coming out at night to carve runes all over Beacon to bless and protect us from another attack for tonight, nothing illegal at all." Her purposefully withholding certain information was enough to settle down Pyrrha, in turn calming down Cardin, overall saving them from exposure to the truth.

Except Weiss just had to speak up, "Oh yes, I'm sure going around Beacon at night and vandalizing property with _magical runes_ will help us with repelling another attack if one to come."

"I'm sorry, snowflake, do you happen to have another suggestion?" Rosemary's smugness was palpable. Had she a face, she'd make sure to put on the biggest shit-eating grin she could muster.

"Uh, yes actually, how about instead of leading all your boyfriends out on some holy mission, you just let them go out and patrol on their own use their fists or whatever to protect Beacon."

"... We'd uh... we'd be doing that too, Weiss," Dove interjected, "we'd be patrolling Beacon and well as... blessing it."

"Well, hold on Dove, why did you have to talk about this with only Cardin and Rosemary though?" Russel inquired, "You could have spoke to us as well about this."

"Oh, I just had to talk to Cardin about what Ozpin wanted him to do. The whole rune-carving stuff was just brought up by Rosemary."

"Ah, and what did Ozpin want Cardin to do?"

Dove looked over at Cardin, scanning him for what to say. Dove could either lie to them, or Cardin can tell them what he was tasked to do. It's not as if it was a secret anymore to RWBY and JNPR, mixed with how much wailing there was in the streets of Beacon for anyone else to hear him, be it faunus as well.

"Ozpin wanted me... to tell my Grimm to hunt down any of the attackers in the forest, to protect Beacon from another attack."

"Ahhhhh- so did you do it?"

"Yes Skyyyyy- I did it.-"

"-Wait," Ren cut in, "you did it already? When?" Cardin understood his, and anyone else confusion, going out of his way to explain.

"Well you see, Lie, I can telepathically communicate with any Grimm... liberated by me, and tell them whatever I want, like ordering them to kill any human or faunus that they find wandering in the forest around Beacon." Their faces betrayed them, nervous laughter and unsure eyes darting between one-another. Except Nora, she was the only one who showed awe.

"Woah! So you can just command them around like your own personal army with your mind?"

"Yeppers, they do everything I ask them."

"Do you want me to go into the forest and kill any humans or faunus I find in there too?"

"No Gilgamesh, you stay here with us-"

"-Cardin... you really didn't just tell hundreds of Grimm around Beacon to kill all humans and faunus they find in the forest, right?"

"I did Blake," Cardin grinned, reveling in the joy of messing with her, "I told ALL OF my Grimm with my mind to kill any person they come across, because let's face it: all faunus are animals that deserve to die, and any human stupid enough to go into Emerald by themselves are absolutely too insane to keep on living." The air grew thick, with shock, horror, disgust, as what they believed to be Cardin's worst showing itself once again.

It was not his worst though, yet he still meant. But instead of letting it fester, Cardin broke out in bombastic laughter, eyes crying with joy, as his three brothers and Rosemary watched on. "HOHOHOHO- Y-YOU all should have seen the look on your faces! Priceless!" Now befuddled, they looked at him like the madman he wants to be seen as. "All I did was tell them what the attackers looked like! It was a joke! An EDGY joke, unlike the one Sky mad-"

 _ **-SLAP**_

 **"-** GAH!What the hell?!"

"Don't joke like that, Cardin!" Ruby yelled, her features baffled by how Cardin could even amuse himself like this. "How could you even joke like that?! No one's gonna laugh at that!"

"I did." Cardin answered, plain as day, rubbing his cheek from the ruthless slap Ruby delivered.

"That's not the point, Cardin!"

"You're right, the point is that I just told my Grimm to hunt down anyone who looks like the attackers, and that's all that matters."

"... So you won't apologize for that tasteless, offensive joke?"

"... I'm sorry."

"Oh wow," Yang went, "you're actually apologizing for being a racist once in your life?"

"No, I'm apologizing because I'm fucking your little sister and I don't want her to leave me for being too mean." His brothers, they faltered, breaking down into gagging and laughter, reacting to his lie. The rest, JNPR, and RWBY, stayed quiet as what Cardin said drilled into their skulls, looking at Ruby herself, staring down at her tray, blood rushing to her cheeks.

Yang, she just looked back, glaring, she saw Cardin smiling, his teeth showing, like he was the happiest man in the world. She started to seethe, her wrists cringing in fury, her eyes beaming, staring at a faux-innocent grin Cardin was putting on. "You fucking **pig-** "

The blond fighting-machine, with clenching fists, pounced onto the much larger man, with enough force to pin him to the grass, starting to clobber his face. As everyone snapped out of the false bombshell Cardin had dropped, bringing themselves to stop the two from crippling one another...


End file.
